What Really Matters
by Jleighl1987
Summary: Bryant Stone only really knew the life of a pathetic little girl. What happens when fate brings her in to the lives of the Mercers? Will she be able to overcome her past or will it just come back to haunt her and will lives be changed forever?
1. Chapter 1

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Four Brother characters, I do however own Bryant and anyone else I decide to put in the st

**Disclaimer**: I do not own any of the Four Brother characters, I do however own Bryant, Kade, Eli, Micah, and anyone else I decide to put in the story.

**Author's note: This is my 4th Four Brother's fic. I just thought I would write another one, I am kind of bored. All I do is work, so I thought I would try to write again. I do not know where I am going with this story, the idea just came to me one night. Let me know what you think.**

"Hey welcome to the 3rd annual talent show!" the speaker announced in the microphone. The auditorium was packed with people, mostly parents of the students who were in the talent show. In West Virginia, the Seacrest Middle School Talent Show was always where everyone would be. Except for two parents, the parents of Bryant Stone. Bryant looked out into the audience, she found herself doing that often when it came to school stuff. She threw herself into school to get her mind of the crap happening at home. She didn't know why she was looking out, but she just felt in her heart maybe they would care this time. She looked away disappointed when she found the seats were empty. She let the curtain fall back and she slowly walked away, feeling abandoned. She felt a hand on her shoulder. "It's almost your turn sweetheart. You ready?" Ms. Stacie asked.

Bryant looked up and tried to smile before nodding her head. "Yes ma'am."

"Ok, I'm counting on you. Go do your best and I will be back here waiting for you when you get through."

"Thanks Ms. Stacie." Bryant smiled.

Bryant walked onto the stage with the microphone in her hand. She put on the smile she always had when she was around people as the curtain opened up. She heard applause before the music started. This is what she loved about being on stage, the moment when everything was alright and she felt like she was on top of the world. She began singing

"Surrender" by the Barlow Girls.

* * *

She had finished singing and heard the applause, she couldn't help but smile to herself. If felt good be appreciated. She then heard yelling from the back row. She made a little giggle in the microphone. She knew who it was. She smiled again before exiting off the stage right into Ms. Stacie's arms.

"Oh sweetheart that was beautiful." Ms. Stacie replied hugging Bryant.

"Thank you!" Bryant squealed.

"I'm sure you will win this one. You _are _going to stay for the awards right?" Ms. Stacie eyed Bryant. Bryant knew she probably should, but she also knew she needed to get home.

"Um…." Bryant hesitated.

"I will drive you home afterwards if you would like."

Bryant just looked at her teacher before smiling. "Ok, I'll stay."

Ms. Stacie wrapped her arms around Bryant again. "Ok, well you go sit out in the audience while I finish up back here. Then I will come find you when it is time for the awards ok."

Bryant nodded her head. She took off running in the direction of the auditorium. She knew who she wanted to see and she also knew they would be waiting for her outside in the lobby. As she came running around the corner, she saw _him _first. His shaggy brown hair hanging down in his face. He was laughing at something someone had said. She smiled to herself as she continued to run towards him. He saw her and bent down to embrace her. She ran straight into his arms.

"Sweetheart you did amazing." He whispered into her ear.

"Thanks!" she squealed. She let go of him still smiling. "I thought you said you weren't coming."

"So I lied." He smiled.

"I knew you would come, never doubted for a minute."

"Really?" he asked.

"Yes, you always come to my shows. You've never missed one."

"Is that true? Man, I am going to have to stop doing that. All my other girlfriends are probably going to be jealous."

She smiled. "Are you going to stay for the awards?" she asked.

"Why? Do you think you are going to win?" he eyed her.

"Ms. Stacie said that I was the best and she thought I should stay. So maybe…"

"Well Ms. Stacie is a very wise woman."

"Kade, will you do me a favor?" Bryant asked.

"Anything."

"Will you make sure that nothing happens to Lucy?"

"Your dog?"

"Yeah, I just want you to watch out for her and make sure nothing happens."

"Why cant you?"

"Just promise me ok?" she replied seriously.

"B, is there something you need to tell me?"

"No, just promise me you will take care of her." Bryant raised her voice.

"Keep your voice down." Kade demanded. Bryant looked away.

"I need to get home." She whispered.

"What about the awards? I thought you were going to stay."

"I forgot to do my chores." She replied. "I'll see you later ok." She began walking away.

"Bryant." Kade called after her. She didn't turn around. "Bryant Noelle, you better get your ass back here right now."

She still didn't stop. She felt tears form in her eyes. She got to the door when she felt hands come around her small arms. She tried not to yell but the pain hurt too badly. She jerked away with a yelp. That's when the tears began flowing down her face.

"What's wrong?" Kade asked wrapping his arms around her. "Did they hurt you again?"

She nodded her head in his chest. Kade could feel his blood start to boil. "Where?" he asked pulling away. She bowed her head. "WHERE?" he yelled. She gently rolled her sleeves up revealing two big bruises.

"I forgot to roll the window up in the car when it rained last night. There was water everywhere."

"Bry, you didn't mean to." He whispered bringing her into another hug.

"Kade, I have to go home now ok." She replied pulling away. " I will be in trouble if I don't go now."

He nodded his head. "I will walk you home." He replied.

"He can't see you." She whispered.

"He wont." He replied. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "Eli, Micah, you guys go back to the house. I am going to walk her home, then I will be back."

"Sure." Eli replied. He looked down at Bryant. "Hey beautiful, you did amazing tonight." He replied touching the top of her head.

She gave a soft smile. "You coming over tomorrow? It's Tuesday."

She smiled again. "Yeah, I'll be there. Someone's gotta teach you how to play guitar hero."

He laughed. "Ok, see you tomorrow then." He kissed the top of her head before moving to the door.

"Bye Micah." She whispered. "Tell Sarah I said hi."

"I will." She watched as the two boys left, before turning back to Kade. "I'm ready." She replied.

"There you are!" Ms. Stacie voice appeared behind her. Bryant closed her eyes. "I've been looking all over for you."

Bryant turned around. "I have to go home." Bryant whispered. "I forgot to clean my room and I might be in trouble if I don't go now."

"But the awards are being announced now."

"I know, but I really need to go." Bryant looked down at the floor. "My father should be home any minute and if the house isn't clean he gets mad."

"Ok, well I will see you tomorrow then at school?"

"Yes ma'am, I will be here."

Ms. Stacie looked up at Kade. "You make sure she gets home ok." She told him.

"I always do." He replied. She looked at him one more time before looking down at Bryant who was still staring at the ground. "Come on sweetheart, lets go." He opened the door for her. Bryant looked up at Ms. Stacie, who was still staring her way before walking out of the door.

"And the Seacrest Middle Talent Show award for the night goes to….Bryant Stone!" Bryant heard her name announced as they left the school. Tears began flowing down her cheeks as Kade put his arm around her shoulder.

"Its ok sweetheart. Everything is going to be alright."

* * *

Kade and Bryant arrived at the gate of her house. She saw the lights were on and her father's truck was in the driveway. She took a deep breath before turning to Kade. "I guess I better get in there." She told him. "I will come by tomorrow after school."

"Do you want me to pick you up?"

"No, its ok. I will walk. It's not that far."

"Listen, if you need anything just call me ok. I will be here in a heartbeat."

"Thanks, but I think I will be ok." He leaned down and embraced her into a hug.

"I love you Kade." She whispered in his ear. "You're the best big brother anyone could ask for."

He smiled at her when he pulled away. "I will be waiting for you tomorrow ok."

She nodded her head. She turned away from him and looked at her house. She gave him a weak smile before walking in. She never looked back. She just prayed her father was passed out or too busy to notice she was there. Kade waited at the gate until he saw Bryant shut the door behind her. He sighed before putting his hands in his pocket and walking away.

* * *

She opened the door and quickly shut it behind her. She looked around the room. He was nowhere to be found. She let out the breath she didn't know she was holding in.

"And where the hell have you been?" his voice sounded from the top of the stairs. She quickly looked up. Her father was standing at the top of the stairs with his hands on his hips.

"I was at school, tonight was the talent show."

"So?"

"So I was asked to sing in it. Ms. Stacie asked me to stay for the awards because she knew I would win something."

"Well did you?"

"I don't know I left."

"You know what else you left?"

Bryant didn't move. "You left this house looking like a shithole."

"I'm sorry." Was all she could say.

"You're sorry?"

"I was going to be late for the talent show if I didn't leave right away. I thought maybe when I got back I could clean it up."

He slowly made his way down the stairs. "You thought?"

Bryant took a deep breath. "I'm sorry daddy, I didn't mean too."

"You never do." He spat.

"I will clean it up now." She began to move towards the kitchen.

"NO!" he yelled. She stopped in her tracks. He was right behind her, she could feel him. "Did you ask if you could go to the talent show?" he asked.

"No sir." She whispered.

"So what gave you the idea that I was going to let you go?"

"I don't know." She replied. "I just wanted to go so badly."

"Bryant, I have been at work since five this morning. All I ever want from you is for this house to be clean when I get home and for it stay this way. I want you to do what I ask of you and I want you listen."

"I know." She replied.

"Do you ever listen to me?"

"Yes sir."

"Really?" he asked. "Look at me when I am talking to you!"

She turned around and looked up at her father. "You are just like your mother." She bowed her head. "You almost ruined my Mercedes last night, leaving the windows down."

"I know and I am sorry for that." She told him.

"Sorry? Do you think sorry is going to fix the damage you caused? Do you think sorry is going to get the mechanic to give me slack on the 300 I have to pay to replace the leather?"

"No sir." She whispered.

He got in her face and stared down at her. "You can never do anything right."

"I'll do better."

"You'll do better? You can't do anything right Bryant, how in the world can you do something better?"

"Please don't be mad at me." She begged.

"You are pathetic." He spat in her face. She knew it was wrong, maybe it was reflex. She reached up and wipe the spit from her face. Before she knew what was happening, she was being thrown into the side table. A sharp pain shot through her back. She couldn't breathe, let alone cry. She just laid there.

"Get up!" he yelled. She couldn't move. "Are you listening to me? I said get your ass up!" She still couldn't move. He stormed over to her and lifted her off the ground. "I said get up!" She looked him in the eyes.

"You are a pathetic excuse for a daughter." He snarled. "I wish you were never born. All you do is cause chaos in my life. You don't listen to what you are told and you don't even know how to keep your own mother around." The words shot through her, but she couldn't show any emotion. "Stand up!" he told her. She tried her hardest to stand up, but felt herself fall to the ground again. He groaned. She lifted herself up with the help of the couch. She stood before her father, shaking. Her back was hurting so bad, but she wasn't going to cry. All she kept thinking about was Kade. She wished he was still outside her house. She heard noise coming from the kitchen. Her head shot towards the door. It was Lucy scratching on the door. Her heart stopped.

"That damn dog cant make up its mind. I just let you out you stupid bitch!" her father yelled.

Bryant closed her eyes._ "Stop Lucy, stop!" _she thought.

"Go let your damn dog in." Bryant breathed again. She slowly walked to the kitchen door and let her dog in. The dog jumped in her arms and began licking her all over the face. Bryant tried to hold her in her arms, but it was too much weight and she dropped her. The dog went running through the kitchen, into the living room. Her father had sat in the chair, that's when Bryant noticed all the beers around him. He had been drinking and wasn't planning on stopping anytime soon. She looked around and couldn't find Lucy.

"_Oh no!"_ Bryant thought. Where was her dog? She began to look around.

"What the hell!?" her father yelled. She looked in the corner and saw Lucy peeing on the floor. He jumped up out of his chair before she could blink.

"No daddy no!" Bryant yelled running towards the dog. She was almost to her, when her fathers hand came across her face, knocking her against the wall. She slide down, then she heard it. Lucy was wining. She didn't want to open her eyes, but she her mind didn't listen. She watched her father pick the dog up by its neck and throw her across the room. And like Bryant, Lucy hit the wall with a loud squeal, then nothing. Bryant didn't want to move.

"That damn dog probably ruined the carpet." Her father replied sitting back down in the chair.

Bryant still didn't want to move. Lucy didn't move either. Tears began streaming down Bryant's face as she slowly lifted herself off the floor. She limped over to Lucy who was still lying against the wall.

"Lucy." Bryant whispered. The dog didn't move. Bryant covered her mouth so her sobs couldn't escape. She knelt down next to the dog and touched it. It still didn't move. "Lucy get up." She whispered. "Come on please? She begged. The dog still didn't move. Bryant collapsed on the wall and touched the dog again. "Please be ok." She whispered. The dog didn't make a sound.

"Get upstairs and clean your room. The whole upstairs better be clean in 10 minutes, or you will be sorry."

Bryant nodded her head. She looked back down at the door before picking her up in her arms. "Lucy." She whispered. She began walking slowly up the stairs. Pain was shooting through her body with each step she took. She cradled the dog in her arms as she made her way to her room. It was the last door down the long hallway. She slowly opened the door with her elbow and walked in. She laid the dog down on the ground and turned her over. She wasn't breathing. Bryant bowed her head and began sobbing. "No." she sobbed. She moved away from the dog towards the window. She stared at Lucy for the longest time. Her dog was dead. Her best friend, who knew everything that went on in that house, was gone. She slowly lifted herself off the floor and collapsed onto her bed. She was exhausted. Her back was killing her. She was trying to fight sleep, but it seemed to take over her. Before she knew it, she was asleep.

* * *

The next morning, Bryant woke up with a stinging pain in her back and face. She lifted her hand up to her lip and flinched. She threw her legs over the side and bed and looked down. Lucy was still laying there, still not moving. She fought back the tears as she moved past the dead dog. She opened her door and called out. "Daddy?" No answer. Good, he had already went to work. She sat back down on her bed and made sure she didn't look down at Lucy. She tried to go over everything from last night in her head. Her father had been drinking. He must have passed out before he could come up and check on her. Suddenly she heard the door bell ring. She jumped up, not knowing what to do. What time was it? She looked down on the floor at her alarm clock. 8:30, she was late for school. The door bell rang again. She slowly made her way to her door and walked down the stairs. Each step, causing more pain in her back. She looked through the peep hole and saw Ms. Stacie standing there. The door bell rang again.

"_What do I do?"_ Bryant thought to herself.

"Bryant?" Ms. Stacie called out. "Are you home sweetheart?"

"Ms. Stacie what are you doing here?" Bryant asked through the door.

"Are you alright sweetheart? You didn't come to school today."

"Yes ma'am. I just don't feel good, so my daddy let me stay home today."

"Can you open the door sweetheart?"

"Ms. Stacie, I don't know if that is a good idea."

"Bryant, open the door ok."

"I don't think that's a good idea. I'm pretty sick."

"If you are sick, I need to see if you are ok."

"I'm fine, its just sore throat."

"Bryant, open the door." Ms. Stacie demanded.

Bryant sighed before slowly unlocking the door. She opened it and stared up at Ms. Stacie.

"What happened to you?" Ms. Stacie asked stepping inside.

"Its nothing."

"Who did this to you?"

"No one."

"Bryant, you need to tell me so I can help you."

"Its ok. I forgot to clean the house. Its my fault.

"No sweetheart, its not. You shouldn't be hit like this for not cleaning the house."

"Ms. Stacie, you cant tell anyone. My dad would be furious with me."

"Come on, you need to come with me."

"No, I cant."

"Bryant, you need to come with me."

"Ms. Stacie, if my dad comes home and I am not here I will be in very big trouble."

"Bryant, you are going to come with me ok. Your father will be not be home for another ten hours. We are going to go talk ok."

"Just talk?" Bryant asked.

"Yes sweetheart, just talk."

Bryant nodded her head. She turned around and grabbed her coat out of the closet before locking the door. Ms. Stacie put her arm around Bryant's shoulder.

"Ms. Stacie, we have to make sure I am back by 6:30 ok. I have to have the house cleaned and dinner made."

"Ok sweetheart. Come on lets go."

Bryant climbed into Ms. Stacie's Volvo and looked back at her house for the last time.

* * *

Around 3:30, school was letting out. Kade was waiting on the porch of his house waiting for Bryant to come as usual every Tuesday. Tuesday was the day Bryant's father worked the latest. She would come over for a couple of hours before heading home. Kade would always wait for her, but today was different. He waited for thirty minutes and still not Bryant. He saw his younger brother walking towards the house.

"Sky, did you see Bryant today at school?" Kade asked.

Sky shook his head. "She never showed up. Ms. Stacie left early too."

"Did Ms. Stacie ever come back?"

"No man, she left quickly too. Like something was wrong. Hey did you know that Bryant won the talent show last night?"

"Yeah man. Ok, well go inside. I'll be right there."

Sky nodded his head before walking past his brother into the house. Kade looked down the street both ways. Where was she? He went inside the house letting the door slam.

"Hey Kade, what's wrong man?" Elijah had called from the kitchen.

"Bryant didn't go to school today." He replied.

"What?" Elijah appeared in the doorway. "Where is she?"

"I don't know." Kade looked up at his friend. "I am going to go look for her. You guys stay here, just in case she shows up. Call me if she does ok."

"Hey Kade, its suppose to storm pretty bad tonight. Make sure you find her man." Elijah replied.

Kade nodded his head. He went into the closet and looked at his younger brother. He made sure he wasn't looking before grabbing his gun and sticking it into his pants. "I'll be back in a little while. Make sure he gets something to eat will ya?"

Elijah laughed. "Sure thing."

Kade let the door slam behind him again before turning down the street towards Bryant's house.

* * *

"Ms. Stacie, its 4:30, I really need to be heading home. I promised my dad I would have the house cleaned."

"Bryant you aren't going home." Ms. Stacie told her.

"Why?" Bryant jumped off the swing.

"I called the police. They are on their way here."

"Why?" Bryant yelled. "You shouldn't have done that. My father is going to be so mad at me."

"Bryant listen to me, you need to tell me what your father did to you last night. I need to know if he hurt you."

"Just leave it alone!" Bryant yelled.

"No, I will not. You have been coming to school with bruises on your arms and legs. Now you have a cut lip and you're limping pretty badly. Sweetheart, I promise nothing bad will happen to you, just let me help you ok."

"You cant help!" she yelled again. "You will just make matters worse."

"How? How will I make things worse?"

"I need to go." Bryant began walking away.

"Bryant stop!" Ms. Stacie yelled.

"I have to go home before he comes home."

"You aren't going back to that house." Ms. Stacie grabbed Bryant's arm to turn her around. Bryant let out a scream and fell to the ground. "Bryant!" Ms. Stacie went to catch her in her arms but Bryant started screaming.

"Please don't touch me!" Bryant told her. "You are making everything worse!"

"How?" Ms. Stacie was pleading with Bryant. "Bryant, why do you want to go back to him?"

"Its my fault ok. He does it because I don't know how to listen. If you call the police, then he will know that I told and I will be in more trouble. Just leave me alone!" Bryant took off running.

"BRYANT!" Ms. Stacie yelled. Bryant continued to run until she couldn't anymore. She was so weak and her back hurt pretty bad. She felt the tears begin to sting her lip as the salt hit her wound. It began to rain, but Bryant still walked. She didn't know where she was going, she just needed to get away.

* * *

Thunder sounded outside the house as Kade stood near the window. It had been storming for an hour and still no sign of Bryant. He was beginning to get worried. He walked to her house, but no one was there. He knew her father wouldn't be home until 6:30, which gave him just a few hours to find Bryant and bring her back. He walked around for hours looking for her, but never did. It was now 7:30 and storming outside. He heard a noise outside. He took off towards the door.

"What is it?" Sky asked jumping off the couch.

"Stay!" Kade told him pointing his finger. Sky sat down as fast as he had stood up. Kade has his hand on his gun as he looked out of the window. "Gua!" Kade swung the door open and found a sobbing, soaked Bryant standing there. He grabbed her and jerked her inside before embracing her.

"Where the hell have you been?" he asked.

"Lucy's dead." She sobbed. "He killed her."

"What?"

"Last night. He killed her."

"What happened?"

"He was so mad at me. I forgot to clean the house and he came home before I could make it back from the talent show. Lucy was wining to come in and I let her in. She peed on the carpet. Before I could do anything, Daddy had thrown her across the room. She hit the wall and didn't get up."

"Baby!" Kade whispered.

"What happened?" Elijah came in from the bedroom. "Bryant, where have you been?"

Bryant didn't move from her spot in Kade's chest. "What happened to your lip?"

Kade let her go and looked down at her split lip. "Did he do this to you?"

She nodded her head. "What else?" he asked. She shook her head.

"Bryant, I need you to tell me."

"My back." She whispered.

"Let me see." He slowly turned her around and lifted up her shirt. She closed her eyes as tears streamed down her face. She heard Kade gasped.

"What?" Elijah asked moving towards her. He looked at her back. "Son of a bitch."

"Skylar, go to your room." Kade demanded.

"Ms. Stacie called the cops." Bryant sobbed. "She called them and I ran. I didn't know what to do."

"Its ok. Its ok sweetheart." Kade brought her into another hug. "Eli, go get some bandages, we need to cover her back up."

"Is it bad?" she asked.

"Yeah, its pretty bad."

"Kade, I don't want to go back."

"You aren't. You are going to stay with me ok?"

"Kade, the cops. They are going to come after me."

"No they aren't, everything is going to be ok." He brought her over to the couch and sat her down. She laid her head in his chest as Elijah began to clean up her back. She could feel Kade shaking. He was pissed. Elijah kept looking at Kade, wondering what they were going to do. Bryant slowly closed her eyes and fell asleep in Kade's lap.

**Authors note: Ok, so I am going to stop here. This is sort of a flashback for Bryant. The boys will be in the next chapter. There will also be character descriptions of each boy, Kade, Eli, and Micah so you can get to know them a little better. You will also find out a little more about her past and mother. But just let me know what you think! Should I keep going?**

**REVIEW!**


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Four Brothers or any of the characters in Four Brothers

Disclaimer: I do not own Four Brothers or any of the characters in Four Brothers. I do own whatever character that wasn't in Four Brothers, k…thanks.

**Author's note: I would like to thank those who reviewed for reviewing. I really hope the story started off well and you weren't confused or anything, but here you go. Another chapter…**

**PS oh yeah, I am looking for a reallllly good beta, so if anyone is interested just let me know! Kthanks!**

Kade Sanders was only person who really understood what Bryant was going through. He was eighteen and had been emancipated from his parents for a year and a half. He grew up with his parents not caring about him. They would rather go out and party than to take care of their two little boys. Many nights they would come home drunk and take all their anger out on Kade before passing out on the couch. This happened for five years, until Kade's seventeenth birthday. He got out of there and took his little brother with him. Skylar had met Bryant in school and introduced her to Kade when she was eleven. He found out quickly the life she was living with her father. He took her in as his own little sister and protected her. Every Tuesday was their day together. She would come over and hang out with them until it was time for her to go home. That's where she met Elijah Rollins, he had changed his name from the time he had left home. He never told Bryant his real last name, he always told her it was his past and he wanted to leave it there. Elijah and Kade were best friends since the sixth grade. When Kade left home, Elijah helped him find a place to live. Elijah had been living out on the streets and needed somewhere to live. As you can see, not everyone is so different. Then there is Micah. The rich boy, whose parents decided living in Cancun would be better and without him, even better. Life wasn't always easy for those three boys, especially with a little girl running around. They made it work though. They know their way around the streets, and they know who to mess with and who not to mess with. I'm not saying they are in a gang, but people know them and know what they are about. They don't take shit from anyone, especially when it comes to messing with family. Kade had done some time in prison for almost killing his father for beating Skylar. He came home one night and Skylar was in the corner, blood pouring from his head. Kade had had enough and took a bat to his father's ribs, crushing each one with each hit. He had tried to kill Bryant's dad, but she stopped him. She couldn't lose him. She was afraid of losing any of them, they were her family and she couldn't see her life without them.

* * *

Bryant shot up from the bed to a sound coming from the living room. She looked around. Where was she? She looked down beside her and saw Eli sound asleep. She smiled before slowly lifting herself off the bed. She walked to the door…

"And where do you think you are going?" Eli's voice sounded behind her.

"I heard a noise in the living room." She whispered.

"Well you shouldn't go alone." He replied lifting himself up.

"Where's Kade?" she asked.

"He's probably in his bed. I stayed with you."

"What time is it?"

He looked down at his watch "About two in the morning." He yawned as he stretched his arms in the air. "Well go on." He told her. She laughed before opening the door. She walked into the living room with Elijah behind her.

"What are you doing up?" Kade asked looking up.

"I heard a noise." She told him.

"Go back to bed." He demanded.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"I said go back to bed. I will handle this." Kade glared towards.

"What happened?" Eli asked moving Bryant behind him.

"Bryant, go to the room and get back into bed. I will be there in a few minutes."

"I'm scared." Bryant told him.

"Everything is going to be alright." Kade told her.

She looked towards the window and saw blue lights going off. "Kade!" Bryant yelled pointing towards the window. He looked at her before moving over to the window.

"Get back in the room!" he yelled.

"Do as he says!" Elijah told her. She covered her mouth before nodding her head. What was she going to do? She couldn't go back to her father and she couldn't go with the cops. She sat down on the bed and just stared at the door. She heard a loud knock. Her heart stopped as she slowly made her way to the door. She listened closely as it all unfolded just outside that door.

* * *

"Open up it's the police!" a loud knock sounded on the door. Kade looked towards the door that Bryant had just walked through. He looked back at Elijah before walking to the door.

"Yes." Kade replied standing in the doorway.

"May we come in?" he police officer asked.

"May I ask why?" Kade asked.

"Do you know a Bryant Stone?"

"Yes sir."

"Do you know where she is?"

"At home with her father, where she should be."

"No. She isn't home. She hasn't been back home since 8:30 this morning."

"Where is she?" Kade asked. "Is she ok?"

"We were just about to ask you the same thing. Stacie Williams had come to Bryant's house earlier to talk to Bryant because she wasn't at school. Bryant took off running and Ms. Williams saw her running the direction of your house. Now would you care to explain that to us?"

"She usually comes to my house after school on Tuesdays. She didn't come today and I just assumed her father came to get her."

"You know you are a real class act. We know your relationship with Bryant Stone. Ms. Williams said she saw you take her home last night after the talent show. Now Mr. Sanders do you want to explain to me where Bryant Stone is, or do I need to take action into our own hands."

Kade didn't flinch. "Like I said I don't know where she is. I went looking for her until it started raining, then I came back."

"Right." The police officer turned away. Kade looked back at Elijah who remained next the door where Bryant was. "Let me explain something to you, Bryant is a twelve year old girl who is outside in this storm by herself. If you are hiding her, you need to let me know. She needs to be in the protection of the police now."

"She is protected fine here." Kade told him.

"You do not have the authority to protect her. You are only eighteen years old."

"She is my family. I love her to death and I would give my life for her." Kade explained.

"Are you going to let me in or am I going to get some back up and force ourselves in?"

"Why? She isn't in here." Kade replied.

"Stop lying!" the police officer yelled. "You know Kade, I can have your records brought up and have your ass put back in jail before you could blink, and your little brother will be in a home before you could do anything about it. Is that what you want?"

Kade glared at the police officer. "My brother has nothing to do with this!"

"He will if you do not give us Bryant. She is in danger and she needs to go in our custody."

"What are you going to do with her huh? Send her to social services and watch her go from home to home until she turns eighteen? She is just a little girl, she doesn't need that."

"That's not up to you."

"She is my life and I will not watch you destroy hers."

"Like I said, it's not your decision to make. We got a call of abuse and now we have to take action." The police officer looked behind him as another police car arrived. Out stepped another police officer staring straight at Kade. The police officer then nodded at the officer standing at the door. "Right, move out of the way."

"What, you can't come in here!" Kade moved in front of him.

"According to the papers in that officer's hand I can. Now I suggest you move before I have you arrested." He pushed Kade aside.

Kade glanced over at Elijah who didn't move from the door.

* * *

Bryant moved away from the door as she heard the police enter in the house. "What do I do?" she replied out loud. She moved over to the window and tried to open it up, it wouldn't budge. She got down off the bed and looked towards the door. This was it, she was going to be taken away. She heard the door being opened as she closed her eyes. She shook her head as tears began sliding down her face. She felt hands grab her by the shoulders. "No." she sobbed.

"Shh, it's ok. It's me." She heard Elijah's voice and opened her eyes.

"What's going to happen?" she asked wrapping her arm around his waist.

"I don't know." Elijah replied wrapping his arms around her. "I will not let them take you without a fight."

"Eli, I'm so scared."

"Don't be, everything is going to be alright."

Suddenly a loud knock came on the door. She tightened her grip around Elijah's waist. No one said a word. She buried her head in his stomach as she began crying. The door slowly opened letting light come in from the hallway. "Please…" Bryant sobbed stilling hold on tightly to Elijah.

"Step away son." The officer replied.

"No." Bryant told him tightening her grip.

"I said step away."

"She is just a little girl, leave her alone." Elijah yelled.

"Step away!" the officer yelled.

"Don't let them take me!" Bryant replied lifting her head towards Elijah.

"Can we please talk about this or something, don't take her away."

"I will not ask you again to let the child go and step away." The officer moved closer.

"Eli, please…" Bryant begged.  
"I'm so sorry." He replied slowly letting her go and lifting his hands in the air. She looked up and saw that gun was pointing straight at Elijah.

"Don't let them take me!" Bryant yelled. The officer moved over to her and grabbed her hand and began pulling her towards the door. "ELI!" she screamed trying to pull away.

"Stop!" Elijah begged. "You are hurting her!"

"KADE!" Bryant screamed. Kade was sitting on the couch with officers all around him.

"Bryant, settle down. We are trying to help you." The officer told her still pulling her towards the door.

"She doesn't want to go with you." Kade stood up.

"Sit down!"

"No!" Kade yelled.

"I need some help in here!" the officer yelled outside.

Bryant continued to cry as she stared at Kade. "Please…" she begged "I'm so scared."

"Alright everyone who is not an officer needs to step away."

"She is just a little girl." Elijah replied again. "She doesn't understand what is going on."

"You can't take her, I won't let you!" Kade replied. "You will have to kill me first."

"Kade!" Bryant yelled. She shoved the police officer out of the way and ran to Kade. She almost made it to him, when a pair of hands gripped her around the waist and lifted her in the air. "KADE!" she screamed reaching towards him.

"What the hell!?" Kade moved forward. "Let her go!"

"Don't move!" guns were drawn.

"KADE!!" He heard her screaming as they took her outside. She grabbed hold of the doorframe and wouldn't let go. She was sobbing and screaming trying her hardest not to let them take her away. "KADE!" she sobbed.

"Stop!" Kade yelled. "She doesn't want to go!"

"I don't care, you stay there." The officer replied. He started to unhook Bryant's hands from the doorframe.

"No!" she screamed. The officer lifted her over his shoulders and took her outside into the rain. "KADE!!" she screamed. She began fighting the officer as he opened the police car. "Don't let them take me!" she yelled.

Kade pushed the officer aside and ran outside. He shoved the officer out of the way from the car and grabbed Bryant's arms. He tried pulling her to him, but the officer jerked him back. "No!" she cried. "Kade, help me!"

"She's not going!" he fought.

"Cuff him!"

"KADE!" Bryant screamed. "No, please!" she begged. They pushed her inside and shut the door. She began fighting to get out. She started kicking the window and tries to unlock them, but nothing happened.

"Get her out of here!" the officer yelled who was reframing Kade on the ground.

"BASTARD!" Kade yelled from the ground.

"Get off of him!" Elijah was outside in a second. He jumped on top of the cop who let go of Kade. Kade began running after the cop car that had taken off with Bryant in the back seat. She was banging on the back window, still begging him to help her. He continued to run after her until the car was out of sight. He was full of rage. He didn't know what to do. He wanted to kill someone. He turned around towards the house and saw that the officers had Elijah on the ground in handcuffs. Without thinking, Kade took off running towards the officer, who was on Elijah and knocked him to the ground. He began punching the officer in the face until he was knocked to the ground. Gunshots sounded in the air causing everyone to stop.

"Take them in!"

* * *

That was the last time in four years that Bryant had seen Kade and Elijah. She didn't know what happened to them and she hasn't been in touch since that night. Bryant looked away from the window to look at her bedroom door. "What you doing in here?" a voice sounded.

"Just thinking." She replied.

"About what?"

"Life."

"Well are you going to come to the store with me or do I have to go by myself?"

"What for?"

"Thanksgiving is in two days and your brothers are coming home."

"That's right, Thanksgiving."

"So get up and let's go."

Bryant smiled. "Ma, will Bobby be here?"

"I think so. I think you convinced him to come on the phone the other day. You've always had a way of convincing that boy to do anything. He would probably kill for you if you ask, if he hasn't already."

Bryant couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, what can I say? I have him wrapped around my finger."

"Yeah you sure do. Now get up and let's go."

"Ok." Bryant looked out the window again. It had finally stopped snowing. She hates the snow. She hated Michigan. She missed West Virginia. She missed Kade the most. She hated herself for not getting in touch with him. She had tried calling once, but he wasn't there. It was like he had forgotten about her that night. He never tried to come get her or even stop them for shipping her off to a foster home in South Carolina. She hated him for letting her go.

"Bryant!" Evelyn's voice sounded from down the stairs.

"I'm coming!" Bryant jumped off the windowsill and grabbed her coat before heading downstairs. As she walked to the door, her cell phone started to ring. "Sorry." Bryant apologized to her mother. She looked down at it and stared.

"Who is it?" Evelyn asked.

"Kade." Bryant took a deep breath. "I'm going to stay here ok. You go on ahead and I will help you when you get back ok."

"Are you ok?"

"Ma, I just….I need to talk to him."

"Ok, I will be right back." Evelyn turned around to the door. "Call me and I will be right back."

Bryant gave a little smile. "Thanks ma. I love you."

"I love you too." Evelyn kissed Bryant on the cheek before leaving the house.

* * *

Bryant took a deep breath. "Hello." Bryant answered. At first there wasn't a sound. "Is someone there?" she asked.

"Bry?" Kade asked.

"Yes." She answered.

"It's Kade." She didn't move. "Are you there?"

"Yes." She replied.

"How are you?"

"I'm good." She replied. She walked slowly over to the couch and sat down.

"That's good." He replied. She didn't say anything. "I'm doing well, so is Skylar, Elijah."

"What do you want Kade?" Bryant asked softly.

There was a pause. "I just wanted to see how you were doing. I haven't talked to you in…"

"Three years, seven months, and twenty three days." Bryant interrupted.

Kade sighed on the other side of the phone. "You've been counting?"

"Yes. I have." Bryant spat. "What happened Kade?"

"We couldn't find you for a year in a half Bry. When we finally did, you were placed in Detroit. Do you know how far Michigan is from West Virginia?"

"Yes as a matter of fact I do." Bryant spat again.

"I looked for you Bryant. I wanted you back. I went to jail for you."

"You act like I should give you some freakin medal."

"Stop!" Kade yelled.

"No!" Bryant yelled. "I went through hell and I had no one there. I waited for you Kade! I was thirteen years old and didn't know shit about the world around me. I was moved from home to home because no one wanted a teenage girl. They all wanted babies. You just let that car drive away." Bryant began to cry. "You didn't do anything after that car left your house."

"Bry…"

"I waited for you."

"I know you did."

"You were my big brother and I felt like I was abandoned by the one person who I thought still loved me."

"I do still love you. You mean the world to me."

"It's too late."

"Why?"

"I've been adopted."

"What?"

"I've been adopted by the most wonderful woman in the world. She took me in three years ago and I have never been so happy in my entire life. I have four brothers who love me with all their heart and would do anything for me. I have a life now Kade."

"There's no room for your old family?"

"You live in West Virginia and like you said, it's too far." With that Bryant hung up the phone. She looked over at the clock, her mother had been gone for an hour. She looked back down at the phone and threw it across the room before slamming herself against the back of the couch. She was pissed. She was pissed that Kade had the nerve to call her. After all these years, he finally decides to call her. She grabbed the remote and turned the TV on.

* * *

Bryant looked at the clock again, an hour and a half had pasted. Where was her mother? She looked outside, nothing. Bryant sighed before turning back to the TV. She heard a noise outside. "Finally!" she replied turning the TV off and getting off the couch. She walked over to the door and opened it.

"I was wondering…Jerry!" Bryant replied. She wrapped her arms around him. "I thought you weren't coming until tomorrow."

"Yeah, there's been a change of plans." Jerry walked in with his hands by his side.

"Well ma went to the store, but she should be back any time now. You want to watch some TV with me? Come on I was watching…" Grabbing his arm, Bryant began pulling him towards the living room.

"Bryant!" Jerry yelled. She let go of his arm.

"What?" she asked softly.

"I have to tell you something."

"What is it?" she asked staring at him.

"Come on lets go sit on the couch."

"I don't want to. What's wrong with you?"

"Bryant, go sit on the couch."

"No, tell me."

"Bryant I need you to go sit on the couch for me."

"Jerry, what's wrong?" tears filled up her eyes.

"Something bad happened tonight and I don't know how to tell you ok." Jerry whispered. She could hear in his voice he was about cry.

"Is it Jack? Bobby? Angel? Who?"

"Please…" he begged. He slowly walked her over to the couch and sat her down.

"Jerry, I'm scared."

"Ma was shot tonight Bry."

"What?" Bryant looked up her brother.

"Ma was shot tonight at the grocery store."

Bryant looked around the room. "She's dead baby." Jerry told his baby sister as tears ran down his cheek. Bryant wouldn't look at him as tears streamed down her face. "Awe sweetheart, what are we going to do?"

"I'm really tired." She told him. "I think I am going to go to bed now."

"Bryant…"

"I'll see you later Jerry." She got up from the couch and made her way to the stairs.

"Bryant." Jerry called after her. She slowly walked up the stairs to her room. She walked to her bed and laid down without even covering up. She reached for her phone on the side table and dialed a number. She waited and waited, until…

"_You've reached Evelyn Mercer's phone. I'm sorry I missed your call, but if you could leave a message, I will definitely get back with you. Have a blessed day."_ Evelyn's voice sounded on the voicemail.

"Ma." Bryant replied. She hung up the phone and dialed it again. _"You've reached Evelyn Mercer's phone. I'm sorry I missed your call, but if you could leave a message, I will definitely get back with you. Have a blessed day"_ Bryant hung up the phone and dialed Evelyn's number again. Jerry slowly made his way to her door.

Bryant had began dialing the number again as tears ran down her face. "She said to call if I needed her and she would be right here." She replied when she saw him in the doorway.

"Baby…" Jerry whispered. He watched as she dialed the phone again and listened to her mother's voicemail. He walked over to her bed and sat down as Bryant dialed it again. He slowly reached over and grabbed the phone from her ear. Bryant let go of the phone as she began to sob. Jerry hung the phone up and picked his sister up in his arms. "We are going to get through this together." Bryant continued to sob in her brother's chest.

"Ma…" Bryant sobbed. "This cant be happening." She replied softly. First Kade and now her mother was dead. Her life was starting all over again the way it was when she was twelve years old.

**Authors Note: There you go, another chapter. Let me know what you think and if any of you would like to my beta for this story. Hope you enjoyed it!**

**REVIEW!**


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: Thank you sooo much for your reviews

**Author's Note: Thank you sooo much for your reviews! They really mean a lot. I really hope this story does well, and it's only going to be for the summer. But thanks to everyone who reviewed. Hope you enjoy this chapter!**

Disclaimer: I do not own Four Brothers or any of the characters in Four Brothers. I do own whatever character that wasn't in Four Brothers, k…thanks.

Bryant woke up the next morning with a throbbing headache. She looked around the room as she sat up. She looked down at her body. She was still in the clothes from the night before. "Hey you." Jerry replied from the doorway.

She jumped. "Hey." She whispered throwing her legs over the side of the bed.

"You ok?"

"I don't know." She replied. "I don't…" she stopped.

"Bry, its ok."

"No, its not." She replied laying back down.

"Come on, pack a bag. You are going to stay with me."

"I just want to sleep Jerry."

"I know you do, but you can do that at my house."

She leaned up again. "You ok?" she asked looking at him.

He rubbed his hands on his face. "Not really." He turned away. "I'll be downstairs."

She bowed her head as tears surfaced. She quickly wiped them away before going to her closet and packing a bag for Jerry's.

* * *

She slowly made her way down the stairs looking at the pictures along the way. She looked up and noticed Jerry waiting out on the porch. "You ready?" he asked poking his head in. She slowly nodded her head.

"Yeah, I think so."

"Good. Don't forget to lock the door." He replied before walking to his Volvo. Bryant sighed as she got out her keys. She looked around the room one last time before closing the door behind her.

"I talked to Jack earlier." Jerry replied as they made their way down the street.

"Ok." Bryant replied looking out the window.

"He will be here tomorrow for the funeral. So will Bobby."

"Good."

"You still mad at Jack?"

Bryant rolled her eyes. "I don't know."

"Don't you think you should forgive him already?" he replied looking at her.

"Don't you think you should keep your eyes on the road." She retorted back.

Jerry sighed.

"Jack only thinks about Jack. He doesn't care." She replied

"You don't think so?"

"Nope." Bryant looked out the window again. It had started to snow. "I hate the snow." She replied leaning her head back against the seat.

"Jack loves you, you know that right?" Jerry kept on.

"If he loved me, he wouldn't have left me."

"He left because it was his time."

"His time? Are you serious?" Bryant glared at her brother. "His time for what? For him to leave his family because it got too much for him. He moved out right after Bobby did. At least Bobby had the nerve to say goodbye. All I got from Jack was a freaking card apologizing for what happened. He doesn't care about me Jerry. He only cares about himself. If he cared so much, he would have stayed and helped Ma through everything but no, he needed to leave and he chose New York, the farthest place away from us." Tear streamed down her face. "And now our mother is dead and that is the only reason he is coming back because she is dead."

"He was scared of losing you."

"So he chose to leave?"

"Yes."

"He was my best friend and he chose to run away from his problems just like he always does. Why should I give a shit about him now huh? He is coming back and once this is all over, he will be back in New York pursuing his stupid music career, forgetting he even had a family in Detroit."

"Stop!" Jerry yelled.

"No you stop!" she yelled back. "Stop taking up for him when you know damn well that he is a coward. It took our mother to get shot and die for him to come back."

"That's enough Bryant!" Jerry stopped the car.

Bryant looked at her brother with a piercing glare. "I am so mad at him Jerry and all you keep doing it taking up for him. He left me when I needed him the most. He left without a word. I had to take care of our mother all by myself and now she is gone." Bryant's voice trembled. "How do I go on without her? I am so scared to see him because he reminds me so much of her and I want to be so mad at him but I cant. I want him to be here with me, but I want to hate him at the same time." She wiped the tears that ran down her cheeks. "I don't know what to do anymore."

Jerry reached over and rubbed the back of her head before pulling her in his arms. "You're going to be alright. Everything is going to be ok." He replied kissing her forehead. "We just have to get through these next couple of days."

She nodded her head as she pulled away. "Let's go inside."

* * *

Bryant looked in the mirror for the seventh time making sure her hair was in place and her dress looked good. She wanted to be presentable. She wanted to make her mother proud. She had to redo her make-up three times that morning, every time she looked in the mirror, she saw her mother which made her cry. There was a soft tap on the door.

"Come in." she replied.

"Hey you ready? Everyone is waiting downstairs."

"Yeah, I just need to grab my coat." She walked over to the closet and pulled out a black coat. She took a deep breath before turning around. "Ok, lets go." She replied. She walked to the door with Jerry beside her.

"Take a deep breath." Jerry whispered. She nodded her head before climbing into the backseat of his Volvo. The ride to the cemetery was dreadful. She prayed it wouldn't come. She wanted to stay in the car so bad. Her car door opened up and Jerry's hand appeared. "Come on, its time to go." Bryant slowly nodded her head before gently placing her hand in his. She didn't let go. She noticed a crowd had gathered.

"Wow." She replied.

"Come on, its time to start." Jerry replied pulling her along. He sat her down next to him. She began playing with her hands. She didn't want to look up. She could feel Jack's eyes on her. She took in a deep breath. Damn it was cold. She felt someone tap on her shoulder. She slowly lifted her head and saw Bobby staring at her from the seat down. He gave her a soft smile. She felt her chair move and just looked up, Jack had gotten up. She watched as he moved over to the podium. She could feel tears rising in her eyes as she watched him. She looked over at Bobby, who had sympathy in his eyes as he watched his baby brother. She looked away and noticed Angel wasn't around. She sighed before looking back down at her hands.

"…You were hardly given anything to eat. You learn to take what you can get. When Evelyn took me in, it was no different for me. Until she caught me with my pockets all full. And she tried to explain to me what it meant to be adopted, and what it meant to have a family, what it meant to have a last name... And she would say: "Jackie... there's no reason to steal your own toothbrush anymore." 'Cause I would, I would, I would take it, and I would put it in my sock drawer..." Jack covered his face.

Bryant looked down again as tear streamed down her face. She wanted so bad to go up there and wrap her arms around him and tell him it was ok and that she forgave him, but she didn't move. Only Bobby did. She heard Bobby's voice thanking everyone for coming. She didn't want to move. She just sat there. She saw Jerry's face appear in front of hers.

"Hey." He replied rubbing the side of her head. She turned away from him as tears streamed down her face. "You're ok." He replied. "Come on, we are going to go back to my house."

"I can't move." She whispered. She sniffed before wiping her face.

"Yes you can." He reached down and grabbed her hand. He pulled her to her feet as she held his hand and laid her head on his arm.

* * *

"Hey man!" Bobby replied wrapping his arms around Jerry's neck. Bryant walked off to the side. "How is she?" he asked still hugging his brother. Jerry pulled away and looked at him. Jack looked over at her.

"Hey baby brother." Jerry replied pulling Jack into a hug.

"How you been?" Jack asked.

"Good." Jerry smiled. "Come on you guys, I'm having a gathering at my house."

"Hey baby girl." Bobby replied walking over to his sister.

"Hey." She kicked a rock on the ground.

"You going to give me a hug?" Bobby asked.

"Sure." She replied. She didn't even lift her head as she walked into his arms. She snuggled her head under his arm as he squeezed.

"I've missed you." He replied.

"I've missed you too." She let go of him.

"Come on, let's go to Jerry's." He put his arm around her shoulder. Jack had already walked to the car as she looked around for him.

"How's Jack?" Bryant asked.

"Don't know. Don't really talk to him much." Bobby replied. "That's fucked up huh."

"Yeah." She whispered.

* * *

Bryant watched from the guest bedroom window as Jack walked out in the middle of the street with a cigarette in his hand. She sighed as she let her hair down. Bobby had walked out to him and hugged him before they walked towards the house. Jack had looked up at the window, she couldn't find herself to move. She just stared at him. He looked away and smiled at something Bobby had said. She moved towards the door and prepared herself before heading downstairs. She walked out the back and found Bobby and Jack kneeling down talking to Daniela and Amelia. She smiled before walking over to them.

"Hi." She whispered. Jack quickly turned towards her.

"Hi." He replied back.

"I just…" she started.

"You're a policeman." Amelia's voice sounded. Everyone's eyes turn towards the cops that just walked through the gate.

"That's right and you are all under arrest, don't nobody move." Green's replied. The little girls take off running. "Hey where you going?" he called after them.

"What about me Green? You gonna arrest me?" Bobby asked.

"It depend, you straight?" Green asked.

"Straightish…" Bobby smiled.

"I know it Bobby." Green pulled him into a hug.

"Thanks for coming, Green. Ma would've been happy you made it to the service." Bobby replied.  
"Shit, your mom would've been happy you made it back for her funeral! "  
"I didn't come back for no funeral." Bobby retorted.

Green looked up at his partner. "Thanks, but we have it under control." Fowler replied.

"Yeah I can tell. Detroit's finest cleaned things up."

"Calm down Bobby, we got these punks. Some kids across the street witnessed to gang bangers going in the grocery store."

"Forget that, Green. I used to make a good living around here because cops like you couldn't find tits in a strip joint."

Jack looked over at Bryant.

"How about you come inside, get you some coffee and donuts, the get the fuck out of here." Bobby replied before walking away.

"You coming?" Jack asked looking back at Bryant.

"Naw you go ahead. I'm going to stay out here for a little while." She replied.

Jack turned to walk away. "Can we talk later?" he asked turning back around again.

Bryant just looked at him. "I mean just me and you, there are some things I need to tell you and I need you to listen to."

"Sure." Bryant replied. "Whatever you want."

"Okay, I'll see you inside." He turned and walked away from her. She slowly turned around again so he couldn't see the tears that had begun to stream down her face. She was so mad at herself for crying, but she couldn't help it. She wanted so bad to scream at him. She wanted so bad to ask him why he wasn't there for her. She just wanted him to be with her.

* * *

Bryant had ridden with Jerry back to their mother's house. She didn't want to go back, but Bobby persuaded her to. She looked over at Jerry as they arrived at the house.

"I don't think I can go back in there Jer." She replied looking down at her hands.

"Yes you can. Nothing is going to change." He replied.

"Everything has changed Jerry. Can you not see that?" she asked staring at him.

"Get out Bryant." He told her slamming his door. Bryant looked outside as her brothers walked to the steps. She opened her door and heard Jack talking.

"So, shit, Bobby, what've you been up to?"

"I'm a freakin' college professor, Jack, what do you think I've been doing."  
"I doubt that."  
"What about you? You still sucking a royal cock left and right, or what?

"Fucker."

Jeremiah started laughing as he opened the door. Bryant couldn't help but laugh as she made her way towards the porch.

"It's not right leaving me out in the cold like this." Angel's voice sounded in the dark room. Jerry cut the light on.

"Hey little brother, you asshole!" Bobby yelled walking over to him.

"I miss my plane!" Angel tried to explain.

"And you missed our mother's funeral Jarhead." Bobby wrapped his arms around him.

"And baby brother." Jerry replied slapping him on the back.

"Jack." Angel replied.

"You cut the afro off." Jack replied giving his brother a hug. "Haven't seen you in forever!"  
"Yeah, I know."  
"Hey, did you get your teeth whitened?"  
"Shut up, Jackie boy." Angel replied shoving Jack away. "Well looky here." He replied looking over at Bryant. "Who is this gorgeous girl?"

"Shutup." Bryant replied walking over to him. She felt his arms come around her shoulders.

"You've grown." He replied in her ear.

"Yeah well it's been three years." She replied letting go.

"Yeah, well…" She just stood there.

"Let's go inside. It's cold." Jeremiah replied.

Bryant looked at Angel before turning back around to the door. She was so mad and she couldn't even say why. Jerry slowly opened the door to the house and everyone walked in. She stopped and looked around. Everything was different to her.

"I'm hungry. You guys want something to eat?" Angel asked.

"No, I think I am going to go get some sleep. Angel, you, Jack, and Bryant take your rooms, I'll sleep in Ma's." Bobby didn't look up as his made his way up the stairs.

"Yeah, I think I am going to go get some sleep to." Bryant replied.

"Bryant…" Jack called after her.

"Not now Jack. I don't have the energy." She replied.

She heard him sigh. "Let it go man. It's going to take some time." Jerry replied. Jack nodded his head before walking up the stairs himself.

* * *

Bryant threw herself on her bed as she walked into her room. She reached for the covers and threw them over her head before turning the light out. She opened her eyes when she heard music coming from the hall. Angel had cut on his radio.

_Sunshine, blue sky, please go away,  
My girl has found another, and gone away  
With her went my future, my life is filled with gloom,  
So day after day, I stay locked up in my room_

Bryant sighed as she grabbed her bear from the wall and snuggled with it. She closed her eyes and listened. She rolled over as the music seemed to have gotten louder.

I know to you it might sound strange,  
I wish it would rain (oh how I wish that it would rain)  
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah

She threw back her sheet as tears streamed down her face. "Mama." She cried. She pushed her face in her pillow as she began to scream. She screamed until she had no more energy. She fell back into her bed as she sobbed.

Cause so badly  
I wanna go outside (such a lovely day)  
Everyone knows that a man ain't supposed to cry  
But listen, I got to cry, cuz crying, ooooooooh,  
Is the pain, oh yeah

"ANGEL!" she screamed. "Cut the damn music off!"

She heard the music stop and footsteps come towards her room. She just laid in her bed as she watched her door come flying open. She didn't move.

"We need to talk." It was Jerry's voice. She didn't move. "Don't play that shit Bryant, I know you are awake. The whole house just heard you yell at Angel."

"Go away Jerry. You don't understand." She told him.

"Understand what?" he asked.

"Everything."

"Then explain it to me because I am dying to know."

"Stop being such a smartass." She snapped.

"Fine whatever." Jerry slammed the door behind him.

* * *

She got off the bed and stormed to her door. She heard the front door slam downstairs. She looked over at Jack's room and saw Jerry standing in the doorway. He was talking about Thanksgiving. He looked up and saw her glaring at him.

"Care to join us?" he asked.

"No." she spat. She walked back into her room and grabbed her coat before storming down the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Jerry asked following her

"Screw you." She snapped before slamming the door behind her. It was still snowing from earlier, there was already a bunch on the ground. She didn't bother looking back at the house. She quickened her pace, hoping no one was following her. Where was she going? Ugh, how she wanted to be in West Virginia right now. Tears streamed down her face as she stopped in the middle of the street and reached for her phone. Kade. She thought. No. She was mad at him.

"Screw it." She replied dialing his number. It rang and rang. until… "Hello." A groggy voice came on the phone.

"Kade." She whispered.

"Bryant? Is that you?"

"Yeah." She sniffed.

"Are you ok?" he asked.

"My mom's dead, Kade. Someone shot her." She began to cry harder.

"What?"

"Someone shot my mom and now she's dead. I don't know what to do." She sobbed.

"Where are you?"

"Detroit. I left my house, I couldn't stay there anymore. I am so mad that I just left."

"Go back, you don't need to be outside by yourself."

"Kade." She replied. "I miss you so much."

She heard him sigh. "I miss you too."

"I want to come back." She cried. "I don't want to be here anymore."

"Baby, listen to me. You have to go back to your house. I'm sure your…brothers are looking for you."

"No, I don't care about them" she sobbed.

"Yes you do." He replied softly. "Bry, you have a family now. I want you go to back to your house and I want you to stay there."

"Why are you doing this? Isn't this what you wanted?"

"No. I want you to be happy."

"Kade. I'm so scared."

"Don't be." There was a long pause. Kade went to say something, but Bryant spoke up first.

"Can I speak to Eli or Micah?"

There was a long pause on the phone. "Kade?" Bryant called out.

"I'm still here."

"What is it?"

"Bry, there is something I need to tell you."

"No." she replied.

"Micah was shot about three weeks ago downtown. He was mixed up in something he didn't need to be in in the first place. He didn't make it sweetheart."

Bryant covered her mouth as she back against a tree. "Bry, are you there?" he asked.

"I have to go." She whispered.

"No, Bryant." His voice was echoing her ear and she brought the phone down and dropped it to the ground.

What was happening? Everyone around her was dying. She looked back at the house and saw the light come on. "No." she whimpered. She slide down the tree and laid her head in her lap. The snow was freezing on her butt, but she didn't care. She just sobbed until she felt she couldn't anymore. She looked up around her. Her eyes were blurry, but she lifted herself up off the ground and began walking back to her house. Suddenly the lights on the street went out, she stopped in her spot. "Shit." She replied. She didn't want to move. Her heart seemed to stop beating. "please, please." She begged squeezing her eyes shut.

"What the fuck do you think you are doing?" Bobby was in her face.

Her eyes came flying open and without thinking she wrapped her around his neck. "Thank God its you." She replied.

"What are you doing?" he asked pulling her away. "I've been looking for you for thirty minutes."

"Bobby, can we please just stay out here?" she begged.

"Hell no, its cold as fuck out here." He replied. "Come on we are going back to the house."

She sighed as he put his arm around her shoulder and walked her to the house. "What the hell is your problem anyway?" he asked.

"My life sucks." She replied.

"Why do you say that?"

"Well lets see. My mother was just killed, and my best friend from back home was killed three weeks ago. Yep, my life sucks." She smarted off.

Bobby nodded his head. "Jack's a little worried about you." As they got to the steps of the house

"I don't care about Jack." She walked a little faster out of his arms and into the house.

"Finally." Jerry replied walking over to her.

"I'm fine." She replied.

"What the hell?" Jerry replied.

"I don't want to talk about it." She replied.

Jerry looked over at Jack who was sitting on the couch, Jerry nodded his head. "Bobby, lets go upstairs."

"Why?" Bobby asked. "I have a few words to say to miss thang over there."

"Bobby." Jerry replied.

"What's going on?" Bryant asked.

"Sit down." Jack told her.

"I don't want to." She told him.

"I don't care anymore what you want Bryant. Now sit your ass on the couch."

"Jack, you cant…"

"Sit down!" he yelled. She slowly walked over to the couch and sat down, but refused to look at him. "Thank you." He rubbed his hands over his face before starting. "Three in a half years ago you came into my life and I didn't know what to do. I didn't expect ma to adopt a little girl. It wasn't right to me to bring a girl into a group of boys. Especially us." He laughed but stopped when Bryant didn't even move. "I fell so in love with that twelve year old girl who sat on the stairs for the first time though. The first time I laid eyes on you, I knew we would be the best of friends."

"Where are you getting with this?" Bryant spat.

"Just listen." He told her. "We spent everyday together, we did everything together. For two years you never left my side."

Bryant laid back against the couch and closed her eyes. "Until one night, you decided you wanted to be a little rebel and not hang out with me." Her eyes shot open. "What was I suppose to do Bryant?"

"Stop." She told him.

"You wanted to go to the party so bad, that I just assumed you liked some guy at school. I wanted you to have a life outside of us. I wanted you to have friends and I wanted you to go hang out with them instead of hanging around the house all the time. I wanted you to be happy."

"Happy?" she snapped.

"Yes. So I talked ma into letting you go."

"So its my fault?" she asked wiping a tear that escaped out of her eye.

"No, I'm not saying that."

"What _are _you saying Jack? Spit it out!"

"It took me a very long time to come to terms with what happened that night. I was so scared Bry and I knew you were too. I had gotten a letter in the mail about my audition at the Tavern and it was a contract asking me to come to New York and play for a local band there. It was my chance to become someone. I knew I couldn't leave you though."

"It must have not been a hard decision."

"Stop it, please." He begged. He paused before starting again "You repressed everything you were feeling for two weeks. You wouldn't talk to me, you hardly even looked at me. What was I suppose to do?"

"Tried harder!" Bryant yelled.

"I did!" Jack yelled back.

"Bobby left, then you decided it would be a great idea to leave too."

"You told me too." He replied.

"I didn't think you would take me seriously. I was so mad at you."

"I know you were." He sat down beside her. "You are_ still_ mad at me."

"Our family fell apart then and no one seemed to care at all." She wiped her face as tears streamed down it.

"I am so sorry for leaving you. I thought it was the right thing to do at the time. I thought maybe if everyone was gone you would come out of your state and you would come back to life. It seemed like you had died after that night at the party, I couldn't even get through to you to eat something."

"Our lives changed that night Jack, mine more than anyone's. I didn't expect it to be too much for _you_ because you weren't there. You didn't see what I was saw, but still you found a way out and you took it. You took it so fast that I couldn't comprehend what was going on until I found your note on my bed. A note. You wrote me a freakin note to explain yourself of why you left. And the whole time I thought you were mad at me for what happened or something. I still think you are mad at me, like it was my fault. You weren't suppose to leave me alone. You weren't suppose to leave until I was of age and like we planned, we would move to New York together, but you didn't care about that."

"I thought about taking you with me. I did, but I knew if we all left it would kill our mother so I just left on my own."

"I didn't care about that Jack. I didn't want you to leave _me_." She cried.

"I am so sorry. If I could change it if I would, but I cant. I wish so much I could change that night and that day that I left, but I cant. I don't want you to hate me. I want us to go back to the way it was. Our mother just died Bry, please don't shut me out. I need you ok."

Bryant looked away as tears streamed down her face. "Ok." She whispered. He touched her shoulder, a little scared of what she would do. She turned around to him and looked at him, then she threw her arms around his neck and sobbed into his shoulder.

"Thank you." He whispered returning the hug. "I've missed you." He whispered.

"I've missed you too." She whispered back. "Please don't leave me again." She begged.

"I wont, I swear." He told her.

**Author: Ok, so I know I left you with a little cliffy. Care to guess what happened? Hm…..you will just have to wait to see what happened to her that night that caused everyone to leave. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I changed her time a little, she was twelve when she was with Kade and them and its been 5 years instead of four. Please review and let me know what you think….**

**REVIEW!**


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own any one who was in Four Brothers, I do however own any character that wasn't…

Disclaimer: I do not own any one who was in Four Brothers, I do however own any character that wasn't…

**Author's Note: So I hope you guys enjoyed the last chapter. Here's another one…**

Bryant woke up the next morning to someone yelling downstairs. She rolled over, shoving the pillow over her face. She knew exactly what was going on. She couldn't help but laugh as she heard Bobby rant over Sofi being there. She tossed the covers off of her and opened her door.

"What's wrong with you?" Sofi yelled

"Baby just go back upstairs!" Angel yelled.

"Why do you let him talk to me like that!" she yelled.

"Was I speaking Spanish?" Bobby asked.

"Hey! Stop talking to my girl like that!" Angel yelled at Bobby.

Bryant came into view on the stairs and saw Sofi standing there. She couldn't help but laugh as she made her way down.

"Are you running this?" Angel asked

"Yes, I am running this shit Angel. This isn't no freakin homeless shelter. La Vida Loca is not staying here." Bobby yelled.

"Excuse me." Bryant whispered as she tried to get past Sofi, but Sofi didn't move.

"Get the fuck out of my sister's way!" Bobby yelled. Sofi looked to her right and saw Bryant standing there.

"Hi, I'm Bryant." Bryant stuck her hand out.

"Don't touch her!" Bobby yelled. "She's so la vida loca."

Bryant laughed. "Don't mind him. It's nice to meet you." She made her way towards the kitchen. "Who's cooking?" she asked walking in, there she met Jack with an apron on.

"Wow." She replied walking to the refrigerator.

"You don't actually think I was going to let one of them touch the food we were going to eat do you?" Jack asked bending down to look at the turkey.

Bryant laughed "Point taken." She replied. "Do you need any help?"

"Yeah, you can start making the salad. Everything is in the frig." He never looked up from the turkey.

She walked to the refrigerator and pulled out all the stuff to make the salad. "So how's New York?" she asked. He looked over at her.

"It's good. Busy, but good."

"You going to go back after all this?"

"After all of what?"

"You think I am stupid don't you?" she replied turning around. "I know you guys are going to go find out who killed Ma."

Jack sighed. "Bry…"

"Just answer the damn question Jack." She began cutting the carrots up on the table.

"My life is in New York. Everything that I own is in New York."

"You're family's not." She whispered.

"I know that. My music is there. We are doing very well."

"Yeah, I heard one of your songs on the radio the other day. It was pretty good…for a boy band." She giggled.

"What?" Jack replied standing up. "Did you just associate my band with a boy band?"

"Well you guys _are_…" she smiled.

"Not hardly." He replied with a smile.

Suddenly a loud band came from the living room. "What the hell?" Bryant replied dropping the knife and walking to the doorway of the kitchen.

"Yeah, get him Jerry! The gorgeous black ladies of wrestling! Nitro and Midnight! Nitro's got Midnight in a headlock! Get him, Jerry! Midnight's trying to be up, but Nitro's on him!" Bobby yelled sitting over on the couch. Bryant couldn't help but laugh as she saw Angel and Jerry on the ground wrestling.

"Wow!" Bryant replied walking back over the table.

"What? Did you actually expect things to change?" Jack asked laughing.

"No, I was saying wow about Angel. He is a freakin marine and he let his big brother win a wrestling match."

Jack died laughing. "Hey Angel, Bry's questioning your manhood!" he yelled from the kitchen. Angel's face appeared in the doorway.

"Excuse me?"

"I was just wondering what they heck they taught you while you were a marine." Bryant smiled.

"What's that suppose to mean?" he asked walking all the way into the kitchen.

"Nothing, you just got your ass kicked by Jerry that's all." She moved away from the table and towards Jack.

"Don't come over here." Jack replied.

"Come on lets bring out that bird!" Bobby yelled from the living room.

"Yeah cracker jack, lets bring out that bird!" Angel replied still staring at Bryant who was smiling.

"Get the hell out of the kitchen and I will." Jack replied pushing Angel towards the door. "Salad!" he yelled pointing at the table. Bryant laughed before returning to her job of making the salad. She began humming to herself as she picked up the cucumber.

"You still sing?" Jack asked.

"Not really." She replied

"What made you stop?" he asked.

"I don't know. I haven't sung since…" she stopped. He looked over at her. She laughed it off. "I don't really like to anymore." She replied.

Jack nodded his head. "You know this might be the best turkey we are ever going to eat." He replied. Bryant laughed as she gently wiped a tear that escaped from her eye. Jack got up off the floor and walked over to her.

"Bry." He replied softly in her ear. "It's ok."

"We need to get everything ready before they start a riot." She replied pulling away. She moved over to the cabinets and pulled out a bowl.

"You forgot the onions." He replied walking back over to the oven. She rolled her eyes before going back the table and cutting up the onions.

"Have you talked to Bobby about it?" Jack asked suddenly.

Bryant cut her finger. "Shit!" she yelled pulling backwards. She immediately moved her finger to her mouth. "I don't want to talk about it period Jack!" she replied moving to the sink.

"What did you do?" Bobby asked moving over to his sister.

"Nothing, she just cut herself making the salad." Jack replied.

"You ok?" Bobby asked.

"Yeah, I'm ok. It just stings a little. I'll be fine." She replied pulling away. "We aren't going to have a lot of onions in the salad." She replied with a laugh.

"Is it almost ready?" Angel asked appearing in the doorway.

"Yes." Jack replied.

"Great! Let's bring out that bird!" Bobby yelled.

Bryant laughed as she saw her three older brothers gather around the table as Jack brought the turkey over.

"This looks good. You guys did a great job." Jerry replied looking over the table.

"It was all Jack." Bryant replied.

"My little fairy." Bobby retorted with a laugh.

"Shut the hell up." Jack replied sitting down, but standing back up when he noticed no one had sat down.

"Dear Jesus thank you so much for this day and I pray that you will bless this food we are about to eat. Amen." Bobby prayed holding his brothers hands. Bryant sat down, refusing to look at the empty chair at the end of the table.

"Can you pass the salad?" Jerry asked Jack, but Jack was in a trance. "Jack!" Jerry slightly yelled. "Salad."

"Yeah." Jack replied picking up the salad and passing it to Jerry. He looked up at Bryant who gave him a gentle smile.

* * *

They ate in silence for a few minutes until Bobby jumped up. "Screw this, lets go get game in." he replied.

"Naw man it's too cold." Angel replied.

"Come on ladies I want to see some quick sticks and tight passes." He replied moving to the door. No one had an opportunity to object. Bryant just sat there.

"You coming?" Jack asked getting up.

"No, you guys go. I am going to clean up some." She replied with a smile. "Go hang out with them. You guys need to catch up anyways."

"Ok, I'll see you later." He replied taking a sip of his beer before moving to the back door. She smiled again as she watched him leave. She looked down at the table and noticed no one hardly had eaten anything.

"Wow." She replied before gathering all the food on the table. "I guess we will be eating leftovers." She replied to herself. She pulled the tinfoil out of the cabinet and began wrapping up the food before moving all the dishes to the sink. She didn't bother doing them, she just wanted to go lay down for a little bit. She kept thinking about what Jack had told her last night. She walked up to her bedroom and just laid down on her bed. She didn't expect to go to sleep, she only wanted to lay down for a little bit.

* * *

"_Love in This Club"__ was playing as they walked into the two story house. There were people all around, mostly from Bryant's high school. She smiled as she walked in with her friend Kiera. "I am going to go find Benson, you alright?" she yelled in Bryant's ear so she could be heard over the music._

"_Sure." Bryant yelled back with a smile on her face._

_Kiera smiled before letting go of Bryant's hand and walking towards what looked like the living room._

"_Hey there." Someone whispered in Bryant's ear. She smiled knowing who it was. She turned around._

"_Hi." She replied._

"_Drink for the most beautiful girl here." He replied._

"_Cheesy. Thanks. "She replied grabbing the drink._

_He laughed at her comment. "You want to dance?" he yelled._

"_Sure." She replied. She sat her drink down on the table before reaching for his hand. He pulled her to the dance floor._

"_You look beautiful tonight." He whispered. _

"_Thanks."_

"_Was it hard for you to come tonight?"_

"_Not really. My mom said it was ok."_

"_Your brother's were ok with it?" he laughed._

"_I don't think Bobby knows." She replied._

_He laughed again. He moved her closer to him as he pressed his lips into the back of her head. She smiled as she moved his hands down to her thighs and they moved to the music together. _

"_I'm a little thirsty, can we go get something to drink?" she asked moving away from him._

"_Sure." He replied with a smile. He grabbed her hand and intertwined his fingers with hers. She looked down and smiled. They walked into the kitchen where all the drinks were being made. She looked down at the table, knowing she had promised her mother she wouldn't drink._

"_Um can I just have a coke or something?" she asked._

_He looked over at her "Yeah let me see what they have." He replied walking to the refrigerator. She saw him reach in and get out of a coke before walking back over to her._

"_What are you going to drink?" she asked opening the can._

"_Um, I think I might have some punch. You want some? It's pretty good." He replied._

"_No thanks, I'll just stick with my coke." She replied taking a sip. He laughed a little before pouring some punch into a plastic cup._

"_You want to go outside and get some air?" he asked._

"_Sure." She replied. He grabbed her hand as they moved through the crowd to get outside. She breathed in the cold air as they sat down on the porch. "It's beautiful."_

"_Yeah, so are you." He replied looking at her._

_She blushed as she turned away from him so he couldn't see her. He squeezed her hand so she would look at him. He began moving towards her. She could feel her whole body shaking as his lips touched hers. She smiled a little as he began to deepen the kiss. Suddenly her cell phone began going off causing her to jump._

"_Sorry." She replied reaching in her pocket and pulling it out. She looked down "Its Bobby." She replied. "I should take this."_

"_No you shouldn't." he replied taking the phone from her and closing it. "He will just be worried about you if he knows you are here. Its better that he doesn't." _

_Bryant nodded her head. "Now where were we?" he asked moving towards her again. "Oh yeah I remember…" he smiled before pressing his lips on hers again._

* * *

"_Come on try this. It's really good." He replied lifting the cup up to Bryant's mouth._

"_Ok, just one sip." She told him._

"_Ok." He replied with a laugh. He was getting drunk by the minute. He had refilled his cup at least five times since they had been at the party. Bryant took the cup from him and took a sip._

"_It's good. What is it?" she asked._

"_Fruit punch with vodka. Nothing special." He replied. "You want some? I can go get you a cup."_

"_No thanks, I should probably go look for Kiera." She got up off the couch._

"_Wait, stay with me a little longer." He replied grabbing her hand._

"_I really need to go look for her. We need to be getting home soon."_

"_No you don't. Its only 12:00. They party is just starting." He slurred. She couldn't help but laugh._

"_Ok, just a little while longer." She sat back down on the couch. He gave her his cup with a smile. She smiled before sipping on it. She didn't want to disappoint him or make him think she was a loser, so she drank it._

* * *

"Bryant!" Jack yelled pushing her on her bed.

Bryant's eyes shot open. "What?" she asked looking around.

"You ok?" he asked.

"Yeah, what time is it?" She asked sitting up.

"7:00. How long have you been sleeping?"

"I don't know. I just remember laying down when you guys left. I didn't mean to go to sleep, but I guess I was more tired than I thought."

"You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm just tired."

"Were you dreaming?"

"I don't know." She lied "Why?"

"You were just tossing and turning when I walked in."

"Oh, yeah I guess I was. I don't remember what it was though."

Jack nodded his head. She knew he didn't believe her, but he didn't press it.

"What are you guys fixing to do?" she asked.

"Bobby wants to go to the bar to get some drinks."

Bryant laughed. "Typical Bobby."

"Yeah, do you want me to stay with you?" he asked.

"No, its ok. You go on ahead. I think I might take a shower and go back to bed. I'm still a little tired."

"Are you sure you are ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." She replied with a smile. "I just need to catch up on some sleep."

"Ok, well I guess I will see you tomorrow then." He replied getting up off the bed. "You know you can talk to me, whatever is on your mind."

"I know Jack. Thanks." She replied. He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead before leaving. She threw herself back against the mattress and sighed. "What the hell was that?" she asked herself.

She lifted herself up and walked to the bathroom. She ran the water in the bathtub before taking her clothes off. She looked in the mirror at herself and noticed the scar above her neck. She ran her hand over it before looking away. She moved to the shower and climbed, letting the hot water hit her body.

* * *

She laid back down in the bed hoping she would go straight to sleep and not dream anything. Why was she having dreams about the party? It was so long ago. She opened her eyes and just stared towards the window. Suddenly she heard the door slam. She slowly sat up not wanting to know who it was…

"Come on." Sofi whispered.

"Come on baby, my sister is in the other room." Angel replied.

"Oh lord!" Bryant sighed. She threw her legs over the side of the bed and threw open her door. "That's disgusting!" she replied before making her way down the stairs. She heard Bobby whispering to Jack.

"Jack, it was a questionable kill." Bobby replied

"What makes you think that?" Jack asked taking off his jacket.

"Boy, it's sad, you growing up without a father. Nobody taught you anything, did they? Maybe I should've stayed around longer and held your little hand, huh sweetheart? Sometimes pros will cover up their shots with another crime, like a burglary or something, and then pay a witness to throw the cops onto the wrong suspect."

Bryant moved closer, hoping not to be heard.

"Why would any want to kill the sweetest woman in the damn world?" Jack asked.

"I don't know Jackie, I don't know. But I do know tomorrow morning, we are going to the grocery store. They had to have something on camera or something. We are going to figure this shit out. We know someone killed her on purpose, now we just got to find out who." He looked to his left and saw Bryant standing there. "Shit!"

"Someone killed her on purpose?" she asked.

Bobby nodded his head. "Yeah."

"How?"

"We don't know yet."

Bryant nodded her head.

"Hey, we are going to figure this out." Bobby replied walking towards her.

She nodded her head again. "I'm really tired. I was just coming to see who was in the house. I'll see you guys in the morning." She turned away. "Goodnight." She replied before walking back to her room.

* * *

"We going to take her with us tomorrow?" Jack asked following Bobby into the kitchen.

"Do you think we should?" Bobby asked.

"Bobby, I don't think we need to leave her alone."

"Why?"

"I don't know." Jack sighed. "I feel like she is going to explode any minute."

"Jack, what the hell are you talking about? Our mother just died. She is having a hard time just like the rest of us."

"That's not it Bobby. I know she is having a hard time. She is going back into her little hole she created two years ago."

"Don't start with that shit Jack. That was a long time ago and you don't need to bring it back up."

"She hasn't healed from it."

"You don't know that."

"Bobby, maybe ma dieing brought back bad memories. Ma was everything to her."

"Stop!" Bobby yelled. "That is enough, you will not bring that shit back up." Bobby pointed his finger in Jack's face. "She will go with us tomorrow, but she will wait in the car or something. Jack, you need to wise up before I beat the hell out of you."

"Whatever Bobby, whatever." Jack replied before walking into the living room. Bobby slammed his beer on the counter.

* * *

"_Come on, I want to show you something." He grabbed her hand and lifted her up. She almost fell back down, but he caught her in his arms. She began to laugh._

"_I think I've had too much to drink." She replied._

"_Yeah me too." He replied. "Come on."_

"_Where are we going?"_

"_You'll see. Its upstairs."_

_She began to laugh again. "I know what this is…I'm not like that"_

"_Like what?"_

_She looked at him. "Come on." He replied moving her towards the stairs._

"_No!" she said pulling away, almost falling backwards. "I need to go home." She replied._

"_Come on, its ok." He replied grabbing her hand again._

"_I need to go find Kiera."_

"_I saw her go up here. Lets go get her, then you can go home." He replied._

_She looked up the stairs, then looked around the room. She didn't see Kiera anywhere. She shook her head, boy she was drunk._

"_I don't feel too good." She replied. "I need to sit down."_

"_Come on, let me help you." He put his arms around her waist and helped her up the stairs. "I saw Kiera go in here. Come on, there are seats so you can sit down."_

_Bryant nodded her head. _

* * *

Bryant stood up and walked to the door of her bedroom. She opened the door but just stood there. What was she doing? She turned towards her mother's room and opened the door softly, not to wake anyone. She stooped down and opened the bottom drawer of her mother's dresser. She founds books and photo albums, but that wasn't what she was looking for. What she was looking for was at the very bottom.

* * *

"Bryant!" Bobby yelled. "What the hell are you doing?" She didn't move. She began rummaging through until she reached the bottom of the drawer. "Bryant!" She opened the book and tons of pictures and newspaper clippings fell out. Bobby jumped off the bed and ran over to his sister. "Bryant!" he began shaking her.

Bryant turned her head and looked at him before realizing where she was. "What's going on?" she asked looking around the room. "How did I get here?"

"I was about to ask you that same fucking question." He replied. He sat down on the bed to catch his breath. "What are you doing?"

"I don't know." She replied looking down.

"Were you dreaming?"

"I don't remember. I don't remember anything." She lied. "I was just laying in bed, then I woke up here."

"What are you looking for?" he moved over to her.

She quickly closed the book and put it back. "I guess just pictures of us when were little with ma."

"I miss her too." Bobby replied. "Its ok to…"

"Yeah, um…I better get back to sleep before we wake everyone else up." She jumped up. "Sorry I woke you up Bobby."

"Bry…" he called after her.

"I said goodnight Bobby." She replied at the door. She turned away from him.

He sighed. "Goodnight." She shut his door before letting out the breath she was holding in. What was happening to her? She hurried to the bathroom and shut the door. She leaned back against it before walking over to the sink and running the cold water.

"Snap out of it!" she replied throwing water over her face. "You have over came this!"

* * *

Bobby stood outside the door and listened to his sister. He sighed as he lifted his hand to the door, but Bryant opened it.

"Whoa!" he said catching her.

"What are you doing?" she asked pulling away.

"I was just checking on you." He said

"I'm fine, I just needed to throw some water on my face."

"Why don't you cut the bullshit and tell me what is really going on?" Bobby snapped.

"Nothing is going on Bobby. I was just sleep walking."

"I was talking to Jack earlier today and he said that maybe you might be remembering…"

"Jack doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut." She snapped.

"Bry, it's ok to talk about it."

"It was some stupid freakin party almost two years ago Bobby. What is there to talk about?" she started shaking. Yes, she wanted to talk about it. She wanted to yell about it, make sure everyone was listening. She wanted to know why it happened and why she was dealing with it now.

"You never really talked about it with me, you never talked about what happened after we…"

"Bobby stop!" she told him. "There is nothing to talk about it. Leave it alone. What's done is done, so leave it in the past." Tears began surfacing in her eyes. "I am going to bed now because I am really freakin tired. I will see you in the morning."

She wiped her face before turning away to her room. Bobby stood still in the hallway as he watched her slowly walk to her room and shut the door. He slowly walked to his mother's room before looking back at Bryant's. He sighed before slamming his hand on the door to push it open.

* * *

Bryant laid in bed for what seemed like hours not wanting to go back to sleep. She just knew she would finish the dream. She kept her eyes open and looked at the clock on the side of her bed. She wanted so badly to be back in West Virginia. Everything seemed like it would be better there. Maybe she didn't need to be in Detroit anymore. Maybe her mom dying was a way of telling her it was time to leave. She wiped her face as tears streamed down her face. Her mind kept going back to that cold winter night at Benson's house. It had started snowing around one that morning and Bobby had tried to kill Jack to get him to tell him where Bryant was. He sped the whole way there, not realizing he was too late. He arrived at the house, noticing all the kids around, mostly drunk. He never saw his sister, the whole night until around four. She had started to walk home never making it. What was the cause of something like _that_ happening to her? She just wanted someone to like her, was it too much to ask for? It was just a party. It was just a little too much to drink. Now she was laying her bed, wishing it never happened. Wishing she could change what happened. Maybe if she could change it, he would still be alive.

* * *

"BRYANT!" Jack yelled. "I've been calling your name for ten minutes. Get up!"

"Go away!" she yelled back. She opened her eyes. When did she fall asleep? She looked down at her clock as it read 9:12 AM. She groaned throwing the covers over her head. "Its too freakin early!" she yelled.

"We have some business to take care of and you are coming with us, so get up it before I get you up!" he threatened with a laugh.

"Whatever." She replied closing her eyes.


	5. Chapter 5

Bryant had been up for ten minutes when she saw her brothers running down the stairs, like they were on a mission

Disclaimer: I do not own any one who was in Four Brothers, I do however own any character that wasn't…

**Author: Thanks to you who reviewed!! It really means a lot! I hope the story isn't too boring, but thanks for letting me know what you think! Here's another chapter for you! **

Bryant had been up for ten minutes when she saw her brothers running down the stairs, like they were on a mission.

"Where are you guys going?" she asked grabbing Jack's arm.

"Grocery store." He replied

"Oh." She just stood there.

"Bobby wants you to go with us. I don't think it's a good idea." Jack leaned down to her level.

"Bobby wants a lot of things Jack…"

"Jackie lets go!" Angel yelled from the stairs.

"I'll see you guys when you get back." Bryant smiled.

"What are you doing? Go put some clothes on and let's go." Bobby came out of their mother's room.

"I don't want to go." She stated.

"I don't care. You aren't staying with La vida loca!"

"Bobby, just let her stay here." Jack replied. "She doesn't need to go with us. She is a just a girl."

"So are you and we are letting you come." Bobby replied with a smirk. "Room! Dress! Now!" he demanded pointing towards her room.

Bryant groaned before going to her room to get dressed.

"What are you doing Bobby?" Jack whispered loudly to his oldest brother.

"She's not staying here alone Jack. She is too vulnerable."

"What are you talking about? You think she needs to see this shit to make her open up to us again? She doesn't need to get involved."

"I know that Jackie." Bobby sighed. "She was sleep walking last night, and she came into my room. I was asleep when I heard a noise and she was sitting on the ground looking through ma's old photo albums. What she doesn't think that I know is that the newspaper clippings from…"

Bryant opened the door causing Bobby to stop. "You ready?" he asked.

"I guess." She replied pulling her hair into a ponytail. Jack looked up at her.

"Be sure to grab a coat." Jack replied before walking down the stairs. He shook his head as he grabbed the scarf off the hook at the door. Newspaper clippings of what? He never saw any newspaper clippings, hell he didn't know everything about what happened to his sister. Jack groaned as he opened the door. It made him so damn frustrated to not know things, but he was also frustrated that she wasn't opening up to him and that she was closing in everything that she was holding in. He knew her, he knew if she held it in long enough, she was going to explode and he didn't want to be in the crossfire.

* * *

The ride to the grocery store was silent. Bobby was so focused on finding out who killed their mother, he had one thing on his mind and nothing else. Jack kept looking over at Bryant who was staring out the window. He turned away when she felt someone staring at her and looked up at him, but he had turned away from her. She bit her bottom lip and turned back to looking out the window.

"We're here." Angel replied opening the door. Bryant looked up and saw they were parked right in front of the store their mother was killed at. She took in a deep breath as she watched Bobby lift the seat up to let her out. He held out his hand, but she refused it. The cold air hit her in the face as she stepped out of the car which forced her to wrap her arms around her body.

"What are we waiting for?" she asked.

"Jerry's coming." Angel replied.

She sighed before leaning against Bobby's car. "Its freezing out here." She replied.

"Yeah at least it quit snowing." Jack replied lighting a cigarette.

"Ok, I'm here what do you want?" Jerry slammed the door to his Volvo. Bryant could since in his voice that he was pissed at his brothers.

"We found out that it wasn't random." Bobby replied.

"What are you serious man?" Jerry ran his hands over his face.

Jack's head shot towards the store, Bryant looked up and followed his gaze.

"Come on lets go." He replied

"Yes can I help you?" the man looked scared that they had suddenly walked up on him. He was trying eagerly to get into the store.

"Yes, our mother was Evelyn Mercer. We were wondering if you could help us find out who killed her." Jack replied

"Yes, very sweet woman. Please come inside, get the girl out of the cold." He replied opening the door. Bryant gave a slight smile as she felt Bobby's arm come around her shoulder. She shivered as they walked into the store. It kind of freaked her out that she was in the same place her mother was killed. She closed her eyes as they walked to the counter. She can still remember that night, she was suppose to go with her.

"I got most of it on tape from that camera up there in the corner." The man went on telling the boys what was on the tape. "Maybe she shouldn't be in here."

"I don't have any where else to go." Bryant replied staring at the man.

The man nodded his head before pressing play. Bryant looked around the room, they really cleaned the place up. She heard Jack take in a deep breath that caused her to look towards the TV. She didn't know she wanted to watch it but she did. She watched the whole time as tears streamed down her face.

"Oh man!" Jack turned away as they watched their mother get shot.

"Jack." Bryant whispered. She turned away and walked over to him. "I'm so sorry." She replied as tears raced down her cheeks.

"It's not your fault." He replied pulling her into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her as she cried into his chest. He just closed his eyes as he laid his head on hers. "Its ok." He whispered.

* * *

"You guys ok?" Jerry asked walking over to them.

"Yeah." Jack replied wiping his eyes and letting go of Bryant.

"K, we are going over to the school. You sure you are up to this?" Jerry asked looking down at Bryant.

"Yeah, I'm ok." She replied wiping her face.

"Ok, let's go."

Bobby was already outside ready to walk over to the school. As soon as Jack and Bryant walked outside, Bobby took off jogging towards the school.

"That wasn't no gang shooting. That was an execution. They set Ma up. They set her up. Come on lets go." Bobby and the rest of the boys took off in a sprint as Bryant just continued to walk. She couldn't stop thinking that it was her fault her mother was shot. She began to walk a little slower as she put her hands in her pocket.

"Can you hurry the hell up?" Angel screamed to her.

She looked up and saw everyone waiting at the door of the gym of the high school. What was about to happen? She wondered. What Bryant didn't know was this was the day her life would turn down hill. She picked up her speed half running towards the school. She looked up at Angel as he held the door open.

"Let's go." He replied ushering her in. She waited on him as he closed the door and put his arm around her. "You alright?" he whispered in her ear. She nodded her head slowly as they walked in the direction of the noise.

"This isn't going to go over too well is it?" she asked. Angel couldn't help but laugh.

"What's the plan Bobby?" Jerry asked.

"We're winging it Jerry." Bobby sounded annoyed.

"We're always winging it." Jerry whined.

"We are going to get killed." Jack stated.

"What do you mean _we_ white boy?" Angel asked causing Bryant to laugh. Jack just rolled his eyes. Just then Bobby walked out onto the court.

"Oh lord!" Bryant sighed. She watched as Bobby stopped the whole game.

"I'll be right back." Angel replied walking away.

"What do we do now?" she asked but no one seemed to be listening. She watched as Jack looked around the gym, then she felt Jerry's hand on her arm moving her out the way. He walked out onto the court with Bobby.

"Let's go!" Jack replied grabbing her hand. She didn't have any time to object when she was jerked towards him. They were following a black boy who was heading towards the door. "Come on!" he took off running hitting the door hard.

"Hey kid no running in the halls!" Jack took off running after him. Bryant couldn't help but laugh. She saw Angel's head appear in the hole of the door which made her smile. That was her marine, she knew he would stop him. Just then the boy ran into the door but didn't go anywhere, Angel had knocked him back into Jack.

"Why you running?" Jack asked holding onto him as he fought to get away.

"Get off me man, I don't know nothing." He kept fighting.

"Why don't you calm down playboy." Angel replied. "Go get Bobby."

Jack let go of the boy and before running towards the door.

"Is this freakin necessary?" Bryant asked leaning against the wall.

"What's your name?" Angel asked.

"Keenon. What do you want man?"

"Just ask you some questions. You going to cooperate?"

"Yeah man, just let up off me." Keenon pulled away. Bryant looked towards the door and saw her brothers coming towards them.

"Bobby meet Keenon. Keenon this is Bobby" Angel replied.

"Who is he Keenon?" Bobby asked getting straight to the point

"His name is Damien. He's my brotha" he sounded so scared

"No shit…..these are my brothers." Bobby replied.

"Naw dawg, he's my real brother." Keenon looked confused.

"These are my real brothers. This is Angel, I'm Bobby, Jack, and Jeremiah. That one at the door is my baby sister Bryant."

Bryant turned away. She didn't want any part of this.

"So how about you and Damien? You two close?" Bobby asked

"Yeah but I aint telling you shit else" Keenon was starting to get brave.

"Yeah I wouldn't sell out my brothers either" Angel replied glaring at him. Jerry at moved Keenon's book bag off his shoulder.

"You can relax. We just want to talk to him, ask him a few questions." Bobby noticed how scared Keenon was.

"Got something, they live in the garden. Just behind the school" Jerry replied

"Go enjoy the rest of game and relax." Bobby said patting him on the shoulder. Bobby takes off to the door while Jack and Jerry stay behind to pick on him. "Nice grades, better stay in school." Jack said smiling

"What is this Aluminum?" Jerry asked messing with his necklace around his neck.

"Shit doesn't even spin." Jack replied.

"That's great, can we go now." Bryant asked holding the door open. "You've already scared the hell out of him."

Jack laughed. "Come on lets go." Jerry replied walking past her. Jack put his arm around her as they walked out of the school.

"We're going to get our selves killed because of that one up there." She replied.

"He's just….well being Bobby." Jack replied with a smile.

* * *

They walked outside and saw Bobby get into his car. "Are we actually going to wait for this guy?" Bryant asked.

"Yeah, now get in the car." Bobby replied slamming the door. Bryant rolled her eyes as she got into the backseat with Jack and Jerry.

"What are we going to do?" Bryant asked.

"We are going to go over to the gardens and wait for his Damian boy to come home so we have a little heart to heart." Bobby replied.

"Then what? We going to kill him?" Bryant snapped.

"If we have to." Bobby didn't even move his head. It was like he didn't care who got killed as long as he got his answers.

Bryant just stared him. "I'm kidding." Bobby replied. "Geez, lighten the fuck up."

"Whatever Bobby." Bryant leaned her head back and closed her eyes.

"Hey come on man let me out, I got gymnastics." Jerry chimed in.

"What?" Angel asked turning around surprised. Bobby and Jack started laughing!

""You know what I mean…I have a schedule to keep and the girls got gymnastics. So I need to go. Let me out."

"You want to take the two girls in the back with you?" Bobby replied laughing.

"Screw you Bobby." Bryant replied without even opening her eyes.

"You were the one who took ballet Bobby." Jack replied. He began looking out the window as they waited in the freezing cold.

"I don't know how you did it for so many years, man. It must've driven you crazy, Angel. On a ship for, what, six months at a time with no one to do?" Bobby looked over at Angel as Bryant noticed Jack drawing on the window, humming to himself.

"It wasn't a ship. The marine's went co-ed, they got girls now."

"Yeah, I bet'cha those girls look like dudes too, though."

"Not after six months they don't" Bobby couldn't help but laugh.

"True."

"Hey, that's the guy!" Jack yelled causing Bryant to jump. "That's him!"

"Come on lets go!" Bobby replied swinging his door open and running towards the building.

"You guys wait!" Bryant couldn't get out of the car. She took off running almost falling from the ice on the sidewalk. "This is bullshit!" she yelled but no one was around to hear her. She got inside just to see Bobby pulling out his gun. "What are you doing?" she yelled.

"Why you gotta pull guns out and shit." Angel replied surprised Bobby brought it with him. Bobby took off running towards the elevator but it had already shut.

"Shit!" Bobby yelled kicking the door. "Jack, Bry, stay and see what floor he stops at. Come on Angel lets go."

"What are we doing?" Bryant asked looking at Jack, she was breathing hard.

"I need you to calm down." Jack told her. "Six. He stopped at six." Jack moved past Bryant towards the stairs. "SIX!" he yelled. "He stopped at six!"

"You are actually going along with this bullshit." Bryant looked at Jack astonished.

"Do you want to know who killed our mother?" Jack asked.

"Yes, but I don't want to die in the process."

"No one is going to die, we are just going to talk to people."

"Right, no one is going to die. I'm going to the car, I am so tired of this crap you guys keep pulling." She shook her head walking away from them.

"Bryant!" Jack called after her, but she didn't listen.

* * *

Just as she walked outside she heard gunshots going off. She hide under the shaded part of the building and looked up. A boy was hanging by a rope on the side of the building. She looked up and saw Bobby and Angel hanging out of the window shooting down. Just then the man started free falling from the building causing her to quickly turn away as he hit the ground.

"What are you doing?" Jack asked running outside. He grabbed her shoulders and looked at her. "Answer me!" he yelled.

"I…" she started but Bobby and Angel came walking out.

"Man you must be freezing!" Angel yelled. "Wont be needing this anymore playboy." He bent down and grabbed the gun the boy had dropped during his fall.

"Call me an ambulance." The boy yelled.

Bryant looked down at him and saw him shivering, then she looked at his leg, the bone was hanging out. "Are you serious?" she replied loudly.

"What for my dog bites? No I'll be ok. How about you tell us who shot up the grocery store on twenty six and I'll call you an ambulance." Bobby negotiated.

"I can't tell you." He was hurting pretty badly.

"Bobby." Bryant whispered.

"Cant hear you playboy it's little windy. No one is going to hear you through all this wind." Angel replied.

"Its suppose to be a bad one tonight." Jack stated.

"He aint going to make it far with his leg like that." Angel chimed in.

"I can't tell you, I swore."

"Fair enough, you're going to die out here." Bobby replied turning around.

"What?" Bryant yelled.

"Come on." Bobby replied grabbing her arm and pulling her with him.

"You think he going to tell us?" angel asked.

"Did you not see that Chinese spared hanging out his leg. Its just a matter of time."

Bryant could hear the boy yelling in the background.

"You think so?"

"What you want to make a bet?" Bobby asked stopping in the middle of the courtyard. Jack looked down at Bryant who was watching the guy on the ground and looked in the same direction when Angel started yelling.

"Turn around dick lips!" Angel yelled at Jack who was still staring back at the boy on the ground. Jacks eyes got huge as Bobby slapped him in the back of the head.

"Bobby, help him please." Bryant begged. Bobby looked at her before turning back around.

"Please call me an ambulance!" the boy begged.

"Give me a name." Bobby demanded.

"Ok." Bryant gave a sigh before walking away. She couldn't look at him anymore. His leg was making her stomach turn. How could her brothers be so heartless? She had never seen them like this. Jack followed her to make sure she was ok, but she wouldn't even look at him.

"You have to understand." Jack told her leaning against the car. "We need to know who killed her. It wasn't an accident and we need to know why they chose_ her_."

Bryant wiped her face as she continued to hug her body to keep it warm. "She was my mother too. I want to know who killed her just as much as you guys do but I don't want to start by killing everyone in the town. He is freakin crazy Jack. He wont stop until one of us is dead, then it will be too late."

"He wouldn't let it go that far."

"I love you guys too much to lose you. Why cant you see that?"

"I do see it, but I need you to see that Bobby loved Ma more than anything. He wants answers. No one is stepping up, so we have too."

"I don't want to be apart of it."

Jack nodded his head. "Come on, we need to go." He opened the door for her.

"Where are we going now?" she asked climbing in.

"An old abandoned warehouse." Bobby replied walking up. "We are just going to go scare the piss out of some kids, nothing more."

"Right." She replied disappearing in the backseat.

Bobby sighed before getting in the car himself and slamming the door. "We got him help didn't we?"

"Yeah, but you would have killed him if he didn't tell you."

"I knew he was going to tell us. People are scared to die, they would do anything even tell the truth."

"Ok Bobby, whatever you say. I don't want to talk about it anymore ok."

"Ok." He replied as he started the car. Jack reached over and grabbed her hand and gave it a little squeeze.

* * *

The car came to a stop right in front of an old abandoned building just outside the city limits. Bryant took one look around and didn't want to be there.

"Ok, I have everything in the back." Bobby replied getting out of the car. "You got a gun?"  
"I flew in."  
"Be careful with my baby." Bobby replied unwrapping a gun.

"This is insane." Bryant replied  
"Ooh..." Angel took the gun in his hand.  
"You like that?"  
"You got ammo?"  
"Yeah, it's loaded little brother. Be careful." He looked at Jack "Here, you carry the gas can."

"We're gonna do that gas thing?" Jack asked.

Bobby looked at him "Yeah we're gonna do that gas thing. The only thing that scares people more than getting burned to death is getting eaten alive. Let's go." Bobby replied trying to shut the trunk.

"Wait, what do I get?" Jack asked stopping him from shutting the trunk with the gas can.

"Oh you coming with us?" Bobby asked with a smirk.

Bobby handed him the crowbar. "Here you go sweetheart, poke them with this."

Angel started laughing as Jack took the crowbar in his hand. "Gee thanks." Jack sounded offended. "Here you carry the gas can." He gave the can to Bryant who just jerked it from before walking towards the building.

They went jogging towards the building with the boys in front of her. She couldn't help but laugh when saw how sneaky the boys were being.

"The popos is here! Ya'll better run, man, these white cops are crazy! They killed Cornbread! They killed him - he didn't do nothin'!" Bobby's voice suddenly changed, which caused Bryant to die out laughing. Jack quickly covered her mouth, not really helping, Bryant continued to laugh. Jack tried his hardest to hold his laughter in, especially when kids came running towards them. Bobby pointed his gun at them, but it didn't scare them. They just all continued to walk out the door.

"Bobby, I don't want to go in here." Bryant stopped in her tracks. "Let me go back to the car."

"Bry…" Bobby started.

"Please, I don't want to be apart of this. I just want to go sit in the car." Bryant begged.

"Ok, here take this. You yell and start swinging if anyone comes up to you." Bobby gave her the crowbar. She nodded her head as she reached for the crowbar. "Bry, you scream and I swear I will come right back."

She just stared at him before nodding her head slowly. "Ok, I understand." She turned around with the crowbar in the hands. She clenched to it tightly, praying no one messed with her. She tried to get out as fast as possible without her brothers seeing her cry. She hated crying, she hated it more than anything. She ran all the way to the car and slammed the door making sure she locked both doors before throwing her body down in the backseat. She began to sob as she held the crowbar to her chest. She wanted her mom so bad. The words Bobby said brought back so much pain. _"Call and I will come right back." _Those were the last words she heard before Jerry came and told her she was dead. She closed her eyes remembering that night, thinking it was her fault because she didn't go with her. Instead she wanted to talk to Kade, the one person who let her go, and now her mother was dead. She covered her eyes with her hand, trying her hardest to stop herself from crying even harder. She felt something begin to vibrate in the back pocket. She quickly sat up and looked down at it. "Who is this?" she asked herself as she stared down at the phone. It was a 304 number, "304." Bryant spoke allowed. "West Virginia." She kept looking down at the phone as it still vibrated.

"Hello?" she answered cautious. She didn't want to talk to Kade right now, she was so mad at him.

"Is this Bryant Stone?" It sounded so familiar to her.

"Yes." She answered. "Actually it's Bryant Mercer."

"The Bryant Stone that lived in Blacksville, West Virginia?"

"Yes. Who is this?"

"Its Elijah."

Bryant couldn't say a word. She just sat there, not wanting to move. "Bry, are you there?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm here." She whispered.

"Good, I thought I lost you for a minute."

"Eli?" she asked.

"Yeah, sorry it took so long. I had to go through hell to get your number from Kade." Bryant gave a soft laugh. "How are you? Are you ok?"

"I'm ok." She replied.

"Kade told me about your mom, I am so sorry."

"It's ok. Just trying to take it moment by moment."

"Do you need anything?"

"No, it's not like you could give me anything being so far away and everything." She spat. There was a pause on the phone followed by a sigh from Elijah. "I'm sorry." She replied softly. "I just want everything to go away."

"What do you mean sweetheart?"

"My mom died the night that Kade called me. I didn't go with her to that grocery store because I wanted so badly to talk to him. I wanted to yell at him for not trying harder to rescue me from the cops that night. I wanted to yell at him for not being there for me the last five years. I was so mean to him and I hung up on him." She started to cry again. "I waited and waited for her to come back home but she never did. My brother, Jerry, came by and I was so happy to see him. He looked like someone just killed his mom, but I didn't think anything about it. That's when he told me that someone had shot and killed her. You would have loved her if you knew her, I don't understand why anyone would want to kill her."

"Baby…"

"My other brothers are so pissed off right now, they are trying everything to find out who did it. We found out earlier this morning that it wasn't an accident, that someone killed her on purpose. Bobby, my oldest brother, is going crazy. My life is falling apart piece by piece and I don't know what to do anymore."

"Kade is very worried about you."

Bryant sighed. "I miss you guys so much. There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about you. But my life has changed since I was twelve. I have four brothers who are amazing. I don't know what I would do without them. My life is in Detroit now and I don't know how to live it anymore."

"I miss you too." he admitted. "I've thought about you since that day they took you away from us. Damn, Kade and I went to jail for you. Thank God Micah was there because he's the one who took care of Skylar for six months while Kade sat behind bars. Do you not see that we_ did _fight for you?"

"And now Micah is dead." She replied softly.

"You weren't suppose to find that out." He sighed.

"Have you heard from my father?" she asked wanting to change the subject.

"He came by twice, once while we were in jail. He threatened to have Micah thrown in jail and Skylar sent to a boy's home if Micah didn't tell him where we were jailed. The second time, he threw a brick through the window of Kade's F150. He seemed a little pissed that you weren't here anymore for him to throw around."

Bryant gave a little laugh. "Yeah, that doesn't surprise me."

"I miss that laugh." He replied softly.

"Eli, do you think you guys might want to come to Detroit for Christmas this year?" she asked. There was a long pause on the other side of the phone.

"B, I would love to come to Detroit for Christmas."

Bryant couldn't help but be happy as a big smile formed on her face.

* * *

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Sitting in a car freezing my ass off while my brothers threaten to kill this guy if he doesn't tell them who killed our mother."

Elijah began laughing on the other side of the phone, but quickly stopped when he didn't hear a noise come from Bryant. "Are you serious?" he asked.

"Yeah." She spat. "My life hasn't changed Eli."

"Tell me about your family."

Bryant closed her eyes, not wanting to tell him anything. "Well when I was thirteen, Evelyn Mercer came into my life. She immediately adopted me. I loved that woman the moment I laid eyes on her. It was so strange to everyone because she was known for finding children homes, but four boys were just too far gone that no one wanted them, so she took them in. It stunned everyone when she decided to take in a little girl, who had nothing wrong with her, but she did and I loved her for it. My oldest brother is Bobby Mercer. He's a freakin hot head. Doesn't listen to anyone and is always causing trouble, even now. He might look tough but on the inside, I know he is a little softy. I have him wrapped around my finger. Then there is Jeremiah. He is the saint of the group, I guess. He is married and has two precious little girls. He knows when something is wrong, even without even hearing me talk. He also knows how to push my buttons and piss me off. Then there is Angel, my marine. He is amazing. I love him to death, but he is a little player. He's been dating this girl Sofi, off and on since they were little. Bobby hates her. He knows what to do to make me happy again. Then there's Jack. He's the youngest of the boys and my best friend. He just came back from New York pursuing his music career. It's so weird because when I first got to the house, I hated him, but he loved me. You see, I don't see how I went my whole life without knowing these people. It's like I've known them my whole life and I don't know what I would do if I lost one."

"Sounds like you have it made."

"I did."

"What do you mean?"

"Almost four years ago, everyone decided to leave. Bobby was first. He left one night and never came back. Then Jerry left, he decided marriage was the answer. Then Angel enlisted into the military and within in six weeks, he was shipped to Korea. It was just me and Jack for four months, then he split. He decided it was time for him to take his music career to the next level and without word, he was gone."

"Why did they leave so fast?"

Bryant paused. "I don't know." She didn't want to tell him about the party, not now. Bryant turned her head to the left and saw shadows coming towards the car. She quickly grabbed the crowbar when she saw Jack's face appear in the window.

"You alright?" Elijah asked.

"Yeah, Jack just scared me that's all."

"Hey, you alright?" Jack asked opening the door.

"Yeah."

"Who you talking to?"

"A friend."

"You want me to let you go?" Elijah asked.

Bryant sighed. "Sure. Thanks for letting me talk to you. It was so great to hear from you."

"I love you Bry, I hope you know that. I haven't stopped. I hope you will make room for me and Kade when we come to see you."

"I will." She replied. "Tell him I said hello. Sky too."

"I will. Goodnight." Elijah replied before hanging up the phone. Bryant closed her eyes still holding the phone to her ear. "Goodbye" she replied long after he had hung up.

"You alright?" Jack asked climbing in the backseat. "Why didn't you cut the car on?"

"I'm ok. I guess I didn't think about it." She replied.

"What's wrong?" Jack asked looking at her.

"My family from West Virginia are coming for Christmas." She replied not looking at him. "I want you to meet them and I want them to meet you."

"Who were you talking to?"

"Elijah."

"Are you sure you want to do this? I mean…."

"They don't know anything Jack, and I want to keep it that way ok. Everything will be ok. We will get all this with ma behind us and everyone will be ok."

"I sure hope so." He replied softly.

**Author: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I liked writing it, it showed a lot of her emotion and she got to hear from Elijah. Next chapter is going to be a tough one, because its going to have her tell Jack what happened at the party. I hope you guys are enjoying the story, I really need a beta though, so if anyone would like to do it please let me know! Kthanks!**

**REVIEW**!


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Four Brother characters, but I do however own anyone that wasn't in the movie

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Four Brother characters, but I do however own anyone that wasn't in the movie.

**Author: So this story has only a few more chapters left. I thought maybe I could make something out of it that was in my head, but its not really working so I am just going to end it soon….sorry to all who liked it.**

**PS Also this is the chapter you have been waiting for…the party! :) Enjoy!**

Bryant didn't sleep much that night. She was too worried about what was going to come the next morning. She looked out her window and stared at the stars in the sky. It hadn't snowed all day, which made her happy. She closed her eyes for a second and she was gone. She drifted off to sleep thinking about Elijah and Kade coming to see them. Was it a good idea? Was it the right time with everything that was going on? Christmas was only a month away, she wouldn't be in school for another month, it had to be ok. What she didn't notice, was the night began to get colder outside and soon it would start to snow again.

* * *

_Kade had it hidden behind his back as it was soaking through his gloves freezing his hand. He smiled because he knew she would be coming around the corner any minute with snowballs in her hand ready to throw them at him. Elijah, Micah, Skylar, and Bryant all ganged up on him when he got out of the car. It was war this time, he was going to nail every one of them, starting with the accomplice. He knew it was her idea to start the snowball fight. She came around the corner but nothing was in her hand. She looked at him with hurt in her eyes._

"_What's wrong?" he replied not moving._

_She didn't answer him. "Bry, what happened?"_

_She still didn't move. He dropped the snowball that was behind back and hurried over to her. He grabbed her by her shoulders and lifted her chin for her to look at him. "Its ok you can tell me."_

_A huge smile came across his face, but it was too late for him. He was confused at first, but when he turned around Elijah had nailed him in the face with a snowball. He heard a giggle behind him, but it stopped when he jerked around to her. He looked down at her, but couldn't help but smile seeing how scared she was. He moved fast, grabbing her in his arms. She started screaming as he tickled her in the snow. _

"_Eli help me!" she screamed through her laughs._

"_Nope, he can't help you."_

"_I surrender!" she yelled, but he didn't stop. Then in one moment, time seemed to stop. Everything seemed to move in slow motion, as she looked up at Kade. They didn't even have time to react, it happened so fast. So much noise, no time to even remotely breathe. It caught them all off guard._

_BANG! BANG! BANG!_

* * *

Bryant shot up in the bed. She quickly looked around the room to see where she was until she slowly laid back, trying to calm herself down. Her pillow and sheets were damp, maybe from crying or sweating, even both. She looked outside, the sun was just coming up in the sky, shining right into her room. She noticed the snow hitting the window. She closed her eyes and tried to block out the dream. That day was the day she began hating the snow. She hated every winter in West Virginia, but it didn't snow like it does in Detroit. It didn't seem to stop here. She groaned as she rolled out her bed, letting her bare feet touch the freezing cold floor. She heard a door being shut as she opened hers.

"Hey you!" Jack replied running his hands over his head. Bryant looked at him before shaking her head.

"Clothes would be great Jack." she replied walking away from him.

"I just woke up." he yelled after her.

She walked down the stairs to see Bobby and Sofi sitting at the table.

"How's your arm?" she asked moving a chair from beneath the table.

"Owe!" Bobby yelled.

"Stop being such a pussy Bobby!" Sofi snapped grabbing more cotton balls. "It should be illegal for people to have dogs around you."

"Shut the hell up and clean my arm before I smack you across the face." Bobby yelled.

Bryant laughed. "You ok? You don't look too well." Bobby asked looking over at Bryant.

"Yeah, I just didn't get too much sleep last night. I was thinking about a lot of things."

Bobby went to say something but a noise from the kitchen caught him attention.

"Hey cops at the house!" Angel yelled.

"Shit! Sofi go get me something cover this up." Bobby demanded. "Hurry up!"

"What's going on?" Bryant asked.

"I don't know, but I bet its Green wondering about last night."

"What happened last night?" Bryant asked, but no one answered. "Bobby, what happened last night? Are you talking about when we went to the freakin ghetto? You said no one got hurt."

"I'm not talking about that, I'm talking about later on."

"What happened later on?" Bryant moved with him as he got up from the table. "Bobby answer me!" she yelled. He jerked around to her.

"Now is not the time!"

She glared at him as Sofi brought him one of his mother's robes. "You've got to be shitting me."

Sofi laughed as she handed it to him. Bryant crossed her arms across her chest as she moved with him into the living room.

"I need you to sit down and not say a word." he demanded. Sofi quit laughing as she saw Bobby snap at Bryant.

"I want to know what is going on." she snapped.

"I can't tell you right now." he whispered.

"Can we come in?" it was Greens voice coming from the kitchen.

"Bry, please." he begged. "I need you to not say a word ok?"

She shook her head.

"You're already in. Cops are always welcoming at the Mercers. It makes us feel all nice and cozy! Just the way we like it!" Angel had sarcasm all in his voice causing Bryant to laugh. She looked to her left and saw Jack come in, fully clothed. He looked at her and saw that she was pissed. He tried to ask what was wrong with his eyes, but Bryant turned away.

"Whooo, look at you." Green yelled.

"Yeah, Jackie wanted this number for himself, but I fought him for it."

Jack flipped him off before moving towards the chair by the door.

"What happened to your hand Bobby?" Green asked with a chuckle.

He looked down and saw the blood flowing across his hand. "Oh this, its our traditional turkey cut. You know what I am talking about Green. You know, just got a little carried away that's all."

"You haven't broken your promise about getting involved?"

"Of course not." Bobby smiled. "Just some hockey. Reliving some old memories Green. You know how it is."

"Yeah sure." Green smiled.

"Hey gretsky you know what this is?" Fowler snapped holding up something in a tiny bag.

"A hair from your wife's tit?" Bobby snarled with a smile.

"Try from your thick skull!" Fowler snapped back. "We pulled it off a pair of contract killers this morning."

"Pulling a confession with a phony hair, I thought you were better than that Green." Bobby laughed. Green laughed along with him moving a little bit more into the living room.

"Where's your car Bobby?"

"We left it at Jeremiahs." Sofi replied from the doorway.

"Yeah, we left it at Jerry's. You know Volvo's are safest car to drive when it's bad outside."

"Look Bobby, if you know something let us handle it." Green cut in. Bryant looked over at Jack who was staring at her from the chair. He gave a gentle smile, but she just continued to stare. She had no clue what happened last night.

"I'll know they found my hair on a dead body when I hear the prison doors slam behind me boys."

"Wait, Green, how do you go from petty thug to contract killer? And if they were professional shooters like you say, they'd have never told us who they were working with anyway."

"You think you're pretty cute don't you? Yeah everyone thinks they are cute until I bust them in the mouth!" Fowler moved towards Angel, fist in the air. Bryant grabbed a hold of Bobby's arm a she saw Fowler move towards her brother. Jack moved to help his brother, but Green jumped in.

"Get your boy Green!" Angel yelled.

"Ok, enough! If you got something Bobby, tell me. Don't go trying to take on Detroit your damn selves. You keep knocking on the devils door long enough, someone is going to answer you!"

Bobby nodded his head with the same smirk from before.

"We'll show ourselves out." Green grabbed Fowler by the shoulder and moved to the door.

* * *

"What in the hell is going on?" Bryant yelled jumping off the couch. "Killing people now?"

"Bryant, I need you to calm down." Bobby told her.

"No, I am far beyond calming down. You need to tell me what the fuck is going on!"

"Watch your mouth!" Bobby pointed his finger at her.

"What did you do?" she snarled.

"We just handle some business that needed to be handled that's all."

"Did you kill someone?" she asked softly. "Bobby, don't you lie to me. Tell me the truth."

He sighed before answering. "Yes."

Bryant turned away finding herself loss of breath. "It was the guys who killed Ma, B. We found them and they tried to kill us, so we had to kill them first." He moved over to her.

"This is such bullshit. You said no one was going to die and now there is two people dead and two cops who know that you did it."

"No one knows anything." Angel replied.

"I cant believe this is happening. You know you just opened a door that never should have been opened in the first place. People are going to come after us now. You promised me none of us would get hurt!"

"I am going to keep that promise. No one is going to get hurt." Bobby grabbed her shoulders, making her look at him.

"I don't believe you." she whispered. "You've changed. All of you have." She gently moved away from him and walked away with her arms wrapped around her body. She felt the tears begin to flow down her cheeks. "I want to go back to West Virginia."

"What?" Bobby couldn't believe it.

"No." Jack whispered.

"I want to go back really bad." She tried not to cry so hard, but the tears kept flowing. "I thought I was safe here, but it doesn't seem that way anymore."

"Stop." Jack begged. "You are just mad."

"I am going to get a ticket this afternoon and I am going to leave tomorrow morning."

"Bry…" Angel started.

"I don't want to hear it anymore. You guys killed two people in cold blood last night, while I was sleeping. I am going to go call Elijah and I will be leaving in the morning."

Bobby didn't move from his spot. "You need to look inside yourself Bobby and find out what's really important in life, because if you don't, you are going to lose something you cant get back." With that, Bryant walked upstairs to her room. She covered her mouth as she sat on her bed and sobbed. She couldn't believe she just said she was leaving. Did she really want to? She picked up her phone, but a soft tap on the door caught her off guard.

The door slowly came open. She remained seated on her bed with the phone ready to call Eli.

"You want to know what happened that night at the party, Jack?" she asked not looking up at him. She sniffed back the tears as they fell on her hands as she kept them moving in front of her. "It was just supposed to be a party of people from school, but the word got out and everyone was showing up. Benson's house was packed when me and Kiera got there. But it was ok. Everyone was dancing and just having a good time. Kiera had left me to go find Benson, that's when I felt his hand on my shoulder. Lucas Allen. The hottest guy in Detroit High. He had asked me to go earlier in the week, but I didn't think it would be ok at home because of Bobby, being the person that he is." She gave a little laugh as she wiped her face. "We were dancing in the living room, when I got thirsty. So we went to the kitchen. I was scared to drink so I got a coke, but he got punch from the bowl. He later told me, it was vodka, and punch. We had gone outside to talk and get some air, when he started kissing me." She looked up at Jack who was just standing at the door.

"I was ok with it." She smiled as tears streamed down her face. "I liked him a lot, and I didn't want to _not_ doing anything with him to make it seem like I was a loser."

Jack closed his eyes leaning his head against the door.

"So we made out for a long time, stopping every now and then so he could get some more drink. I swear that boy probably drank five glasses of that punch. He was so wasted by midnight. He gave me some and I started drinking it too. Before I knew it, I was drunk too." She covered her face ashamed. "I never meant for it to happen but it did. It was like something inside of me telling me it was bad though, so I told him I probably needed to go home. He said the party had just started and I didn't need to leave. I really liked him Jack, you have to understand that. I never knew it would go too far." She cried. "We had walked to the stairs and my mind was screaming at me to stop, like it knew what we were about to do, but my body didn't listen. I told him I wasn't like that and that I needed to go find Kiera and go home. He told me she was upstairs and I believed him. Like a freakin idiot I believed him. How could I be so stupid?" she shook her head looking back down at the floor. Jack still didn't move from the door.

"We went upstairs and I started to not feel good. Everything started to become hazy and I just wanted to sit down for a little bit. So we went into a room and he laid me on the bed."

Jack shot up from the door he was leaning on and walked to the center on the room. He was pissed.

"I didn't know what was going on. I kept saying stop and no, but it was like it wasn't coming out of my mouth and it was echoing in my head instead. I kept feeling my side vibrate, but I couldn't get to my phone. I felt like I was paralyzed. Bobby had called earlier but I didn't answer, because I was afraid he would make me come home and be angry with me if he knew I was at a party."

She looked over at Jack. "After he was done, he laughed at me and left the room. I still couldn't move, but instead I threw up all over the floor. I didn't know what to do, I couldn't go home because I was so scared." She began to sob as she stared down at her hands. They had began to shake and clam up.

"I wanted so bad to make it go away." Jack ran his hands over his face as he paced back and forth in her room. "Evidently he had left the party after everything because he was walking along the side of the road when I saw him. I had left too, without Kiera. I just needed to go somewhere, try to get it out of my mind before I went home. I was walking along the side of the road when I saw him at the bridge. He was looking over it, throwing bottles over like nothing had ever happened. Before I knew what was going on, a car came flying by and ran straight into him knocking him off the bridge and into the water below. I can still hear him screaming, but I didn't move from my spot. It was like my heart wanted me to see him suffer. I knew he was dead, I didn't need to look at his body, but I still couldn't move. I felt a pair of hands come wrap around my body and lift me off the ground and put me in the car. He had sped all the way home screaming at me, but it was like I wasn't there. I could hear him, but it was so far away."

"Bobby." Jack whispered.

She nodded her head "He came out of nowhere and ran into him, full speed. Never in my entire life have I seen someone so mad before."

"He protected you."

She nodded her head again. "I found out a long time after everything had happened that someone heard me yelling in the room, but they didn't do anything. That's what makes me so angry is no one did anything to help. I don't even remember yelling." She sobbed. "Bobby had found out that I was there and came to bring me home when the guy that heard me told him that I had left because some guy had raped me upstairs. He told Bobby the guy's name, and Bobby left mad as hell and ready to kill someone. I don't even know how he knew where we were. It was so fast, him coming around the corner. He hit him so hard, I don't even think he touched the brake." She sniffed back the tears and wiped her face. "He brought me home to ma and immediately told her everything that happened. You were upstairs in your room and Bobby wouldn't let you come down. I remember Ma, holding me in her arms for hours as I cried and cried. She never let me go, not once." She looked up at him. "I will probably never get over what happened that night because it was something that shouldn't have happened in the first place. I refuse for something like that to happen again."

"It wont." Jack retorted.

"I'm not meaning the rape, I'm meaning watching him kill someone else in front of my eyes."

"He did it because he loved you." Jack sounded so hurt.

"I know he did." She whispered. "I know that and I love him for it, but it's still in my mind. I can still see it happening in my mind over and over. Ma kept the newspaper clippings in her bottom drawer. It was all over the news for days, people trying to figure out what happened, who killed him, but nothing ever turned up. Bobby hid everything so well. I still don't know how he did it. I refused to talk to him about it, to anyone for that matter. It wasn't something that I wanted people to know. Bobby was so upset afterwards, everyday, he hardly looked at me. I knew he was scared. I knew he loved me, but he decided to leave and not talk about it."

"I'm so sorry." Jack replied.

"I need to leave Jack. I need to get away for a little while, until everything calms down."

"No you don't. He made sure last night that you didn't go with us because he knew what was going to happen. You weren't suppose to find out the way you did. We didn't know Green and Fowler were going to show up unexpected."

She turned her head away. "I wish this never happened."

"Me too, but you cant leave. I need you here."

She looked at him as he looked at her with so much sorrow in his eyes. "You are my sister and my best friend. I need you here with me ok."

She nodded her head. "Ok, Jack." She whispered. He pulled her head into his and kissed her forehead.

"You are not going to get hurt ok. I promise you with my life, I wont let anything happen to you again."

"Thank you." She whispered as tears streamed down her face. She held onto him a little while before speaking again. "I miss ma so much Jack. I think about her all the time and I just want her here with me, holding me in her arms. When she left that night to go to the store, Kade had called me. I had been thinking about him earlier, and then he called. I was so mad at him, but I really wanted to talk to him so I didn't go to the store with her. I should have gone."

"No." Jack whispered.

"I should have. Maybe this wouldn't have happened to her if I would have gone with her. Instead I wanted to talk to someone who didn't give a rat's ass about me. I was so mad at him that I yelled at him and hung up on him. Before she left she told me if I needed her to call her and she would be right back. But she never came back. I called and called and called all night after she died. I wanted her to answer so badly, but she never did." She sobbed in his shoulder. "I blame myself so much because I feel like I should have gone with her."

"You would have gotten shot to, Bry." Jack whispered. "She was killed on purpose, meaning if you were there they wouldn't have cared. They would have killed you along with her."

"Ma was always there for me, and I wasn't there for her at a time she needed me the most."

"She was a strong woman. She wouldn't have wanted you to go either."

"What are we going to do with out her?" she sobbed. Jack pulled his sister closer to him.

"I don't know baby. I don't know." He whispered, holding her head in his hands. "We are going to get through this, I promise."

She gently lifted up off of him and wiped her face. "So now you know…"

He gave a gentle laugh. "Yeah, I think I didn't know sooner because Bobby was pretty pissed that I let you go to that party. He had tried to kill me to tell him where you were. It was when he punched me in the nose that I finally told him."

Bryant laughed softly as she rubbed her hands over her face. "He's very persuasive isn't he?"

Jack laughed. "Yeah, I guess."

* * *

There was a soft tap on the door. Jack gently let go of Bryant's hand and looked up. "Hi." Bobby whispered.

Bryant wiped her face. "Hi." She whispered back.

"Can we talk please?" he asked walking in.

Bryant nodded her head but didn't say anything. "Jack, give us a minute." Bobby told his younger brother.

"Okay, I'll be downstairs." He told her, rubbing the side of head. She nodded her head before he got up and left the room.

"I am so sorry." Bobby replied sitting down on the bed. "This wasn't suppose to go this far."

"Yes it was." Bryant replied.

"No, it really wasn't. I just wanted to find out who robbed the store, not find out that it was all a set up. You were never supposed to find out about the killers we killed last night."

"When I was a little girl, me, Kade, Micah, and Elijah were having a snow ball fight outside Kade's house. We had all ganged up on Kade when he got home from work by throwing snowballs at him. He had tried to get us back, but I had that boy wrapped around my finger and I got him back instead. He had me on the ground tickling me, when all the sudden gun shots went off around us. We didn't even have time to react, it happened so quickly. He was on top of me in a heartbeat, protecting me. I can still hear the screaming some times in my sleep. Eli, had got hit in the arm, but no one could move. It seemed like it went on for a lifetime. I had never been so scared in my entire life, that is until now. I thought I lost him just like I keep feeling that I am going to lose you guys."

"You will not lose us."

"You don't know that. Those shooters came out of no where. They ruined a perfectly good day without even a hint of what they were about to do. Do you not think that's going to happen here?"

"I don't know what's going to happen anymore. Maybe nothing will. But I do know nothing will happen to my family again."

Bryant just stared at him. "Don't look at me that way." He told her.

"I just want it to end."

"It will, but you aren't going anywhere."

Bryant went to say something, but Bobby kept talking. "I will tie you to the damn bed and only feed your bread to make you stay. You are so damn stubborn you know that!"

Bryant smiled. "I want you here with us, with me. I can't protect you if you are in West fucking Virginia."

"I'm not going anywhere Bobby."

"Damn right your not."

Bryant laughed "You owe me big time though."

"Whatever." He replied shoving her before getting off the bed. "Now the boys and I have something to handle. No one is involved this time, we are just going to look around."

She couldn't help but smile. "Never ends."

"You can come if you want or you can stay here with la vida loca."

"I think I'll take my chances with her. You go be the hero."

He chuckled. "Don't you dare listen to a damn word she says and don't take anything from her." They both laughed as they walked down the stairs.

"Come on you guys lets go!" Bobby told his brothers. Jack and Angel walk to the door but Sofi steps in front of Angel with a puppy dog look on her face. "Do I recall something about having dinner together? Because I seem to remember spending two hours in the kitchen"  
"Sofi, baby..."Angel started  
"Angel! You promised that this time, things would be different." Sofi whined  
"Ay, mami. You're breaking mi corazon." Bobby said in a sad voice holding his heart.

Sofi glared at Bobby before walking away. "Yo just give me 15 minutes!" Angel begged

"You know, it's a cryin' shame when Jackie boy here is the only one who's down to ride. Come on, say goodbye to your big sister, Jack!" Bobby replied

"Come on just 15 minutes!" Angel begged again

"She's addicted…to what Angels dick did!" Jack sang before closing the door, but Bryant stopped it with her hand.

"You are not leaving me here with them two." Bryant replied.

Bobby looked towards the kitchen before motioning her to come. "Come on, but don't you touch a damn thing." Bryant nodded her head before shutting the door behind her.

**Author: Ok so here's another chapter and I didn't disappoint too much about the party and the shoot out at the Kade's house! Let me know what you think, don't be too mean! :)**

**PS I need a freakin beta, haha would someone like to do it for me? I will be greatly appreciative!! Kthanks!**

**REVIEW!**


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Four Brother characters, but I do however own anyone that wasn't in the movie

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Four Brother characters, but I do however own anyone that wasn't in the movie.

**Author: Here's another one…. :)**

He stood outside the door listening as she yelled at her brothers. Her voice sounded so hurt and in so much pain. He wanted to bust up in the house and just hold her as she cried, but he didn't. He waited. He heard her yell something about West Virginia. Was she coming back home? He smiled as he put his hands in his pocket.

"I don't want to hear it anymore. You guys killed two people in cold blood last night, while I was sleeping. I am going to go call Elijah and I will be leaving in the morning," he heard her yell. "You need to look inside yourself Bobby and find out what's really important in life, because if you don't, you are going to lose something you can't get back."

He waited for her to come out the front door, but she never did. She never even called like she said she would have. He was left on the porch, waiting.

* * *

Bryant heard the door open as she watched Jack and Bobby look at all the guns on the table. Bobby had been going through every single one of them, as Jack looked through the camera. She was the first to see Jerry walk in.

"Come on ya'll what are you doing to ma's house." Jerry whined. Immediately Bobby had a gun in his hands and pointing it at Jerry. "Aw look at this table man. _Come_ on!"

"You know you're right, Sofi get in here and clean up, make yourself useful!" Bobby snapped.

Bryant laughed as she saw Sofi raise a pizza box over her head and throw it at Bobby.

"You missed!" Bobby yelled back.

"What are you doing?" Jerry asked.

"Just getting started on next years taxes Jerry." Bobby unloaded a gun.

"Hey it's that guy! Bobby its that lawyer guy. He said he only met ma once!" Jack began to yell.

"What lawyer guy?" Bryant asked jumping up.

"Bobby…" Jack replied handing him the camera.

Suddenly the back door slammed. "Where the hell have you been, I've calling you all night." Bobby yelled at Angel.

"I was checking up on new leads." He glared at Jerry.

"What lawyer?" Bryant asked.

"Come on lets go." Bobby grabbed a gun from the table. "You coming with us Jer?"

"Yeah don't you want to know who killed ma?" Angel asked.

"Yeah, someone's gotta look out for you clowns." Jerry replied.

"Who you calling clowns?" Angel asked.

"Call them like I see them."

"Ok, let's quit fucking around." Bobby moved into the kitchen.

"What freakin lawyer!?" Bryant yelled stepping in front of Jack.

"You going to move?" he asked.

"Jack!" Bryant didn't move.

"Can we talk about this later, we have things to do." Bobby's head appeared in the doorway.

Bryant threw her hands in the air and walked away. "Whatever." She replied.

"Bry!" Jack called after her.

"Go Jack, just hurry the hell up." She replied without turning around.

He looked at her for a moment before Bobby grabbed him by his hood. She heard Sofi slam her hand into the cabinet before appearing in the dining room area.

"Just let them go." Bryant had turned the TV on.

* * *

Suddenly there was a knock on the door which caused Bryant to jump. She looked over at Sofi, who just stood there.

"Stay there ok." She replied slowly walking to the door. "Who is it?" she asked.

"I'm here to see Bryant Sto…Mercer." The voice was gentle.

"Who is it?"

Bryant moved over to the wall closest to the door and listened.

"My name is Elijah…"

"Eli!" Bryant squealed. She ran to the door and threw it open. She saw him smile as she threw herself in his arms. "I can't believe you are here!"

"You sounded so hurt on the phone and I talked to Kade and we just decided to come…"

"Kade?"

He smiled at her before moving out of the way. Kade was at the bottom on the stairs with his hands in his pockets, looking up at her.

"Hi." He whispered.

She just stared at him. "Bry…." He started to explain, but she took off running and jumped into his arms. She dug her head in his neck as she began to cry.

"Oh man, I've missed you!" he whispered holding onto her tightly.

"I've missed you too." She whispered through her tears. She let go of him, but still held onto his hand. "Come on, it's freezing out here. Come inside."

"You sure it's ok?" Kade asked.

"Yeah, everyone is gone. It's just me and Sofi…" she turned around and saw Sofi pulling out of the driveway. "Where is she going?"

"Well it looks like it's just us." Eli laughed.

"Yeah." She smiled. "Come on." They followed her inside the house. "How long are you guys staying? Wait, _where_ are you guys staying?"

The boys laughed. "We are staying in a hotel not too far from here." Eli replied.

"And as for how long, as long as you want us too." Kade replied softly.

She smiled hugging him again. "I am so happy you guys are here."

"Are you ok?" Kade asked.

"Yeah…"

"These boys….they treating you ok?"

Bryant laughed a little. "They are my brothers and yes, they are very good to me."

Kade turned away. "Kade…"

"Is this your mother?" he asked looking at the pictures on the wall.

"Yeah, you would have loved her. She was amazing."

"I bet." Kade moved over to the couch.

"So tell me, how is everything in West Virginia?" she replied sitting down on the couch next to him.

Kade sighed. "How about we talk about you?"

She smiled. "What do you want to know?"

"I want to know about your life here. From the moment you first got here to now. Don't skip anything."

"Um….well Evelyn came into the office one day and I was sitting in a blue chair. I was wearing a sweatshirt and blue jeans with mud on them. My hair was a mess, but that didn't stop her from coming over to me. She asked if I needed anything and I didn't even say a word to her. I just stared, hard. I thought maybe she would get the hint and go away." Bryant laughed. "She definitely didn't. She kept talking to me and asking about my life. I just wanted to hit her and get out of the room. She had asked me about the foster homes that I had went to and they told her that bad things happened and I needed to get out. You know it was hard for me to get placed in a home because I was going through that rebellious stage. Yeah I don't know, I didn't think I was rebelling."

Kade smiled. "She told them she would take me home with her. There was a lot of arguing and the next thing I knew I was in the car with this woman and on my way to her house. She had kept telling me about these four boys she had in her house. Angel, Bobby, Jack, and Jerry. They were her sons. She told me they were different kinds of sons though, that they were adopted. I didn't want her to adopt me. I guess I kept thinking that as long as I kept making people hate me, they might send me back to West Virginia with you guys. That never happened. She kept pushing and pushing, until finally I just gave in. She had bought me all kinds of clothes and toys. I had my own room and I was left alone when they knew I needed to be. I was well fed, I could take showers whenever I wanted. It was paradise compared to the other places."

"Was it that bad?" Elijah asked.

"Yeah, sometimes." She smiled gently. "Anyways, it started to come to a time when it felt right to be here. Like I was suppose to be here with these boys. They are amazing. I don't know what I would do without them. I love them to death and I would give my life for them. Then ma gets killed. Everything is just thrown in every direction. Bobby is going crazy trying to figure out who did it. The cops came by this morning accusing him of killing these two crooks. I don't know what to do anymore you know. I want to know just as much but I don't want any of us dying in the process."

"That's why you need to be with us!" Kade exclaimed

"Kade." Elijah moved forward.

"What are you talking about?" Bryant asked.

"I was here this morning. I had found out where you lived and I heard the whole thing Bry. I heard you say you were going to come back to West Virginia because you didn't feel safe here anymore. Bry, let us take you back. You can stay with me and we can be a family again."

"Is that why you came?" she jumped up from the couch.

"No." Elijah stepped towards her.

"Yes." Kade moved off the couch.

"Kade!" Elijah yelled. "Do not do this now."

"I was mad this morning because I was left in the dark about things. I could never leave."

"Why?" Kade yelled. "What is so special about them that you wouldn't come back to the family that knows you more than anyone."

"Kade, you haven't been with me for four years. They have. They've probably seen more than anyone."

"Let us change that. Come with us."

"I cant, okay. They need me more than anything right now."

"Bry!" Kade yelled. "Please, I want you to come home."

She turned away from him. "I am home." She told him.

"You guys, this is not suppose to be happening right now." Elijah stated. "We were just suppose to come by and say hi and catch up. Not making things worse than they already are."

"How are things worse Eli?" Bryant asked. "No one did anything."

"I didn't mean…" he started.

"I wanted you guys to come here for Christmas. I want you guys to meet my family and I want you to be apart of it. I will not have you guys being jealous. This is ridiculous. I can't help that I have a new family. My father was probably going to kill me if I didn't get out of there, but I never knew the cops would take me away. But they did and obviously no one could stop them. Why are you trying to punish me for actually trying to be happy with these people who have given me everything and who love me more than anything?" Tears started to surface as she turned away again. "I had to make with what I had since I had in my mind I would never see you guys again. Hell, I tried to freakin run away to see you guys. I didn't even make it to the train station when Bobby came and found me. My life was ok here. He had protected me from such much shit these past few years."

Kade rubbed his hands over his face. "I didn't mean to make you upset. I just never really understood I guess."

"I love you guys with all my heart. Please _understand _that, but I am not leaving them."

Kade nodded his head. He walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her as she dug her head into his chest.

"We better get back. We told Sky that we wouldn't be long." Elijah replied.

"How is he?" Bryant asked pulling away from Kade.

"He's doing fine. He was going to come but he fell asleep."

Bryant smiled. "Well will you guys come by tomorrow. I really want you to meet the boys."

Kade looked over at Elijah. "Come on, you guys are going to like them."

* * *

The front door came swinging open causing Bryant to jump and turn away. "Bobby!" she yelled. Angel and Bobby both had guns pointing at Elijah and Kade. "What the hell!?" she screamed.

"Who the fuck are you?" Bobby asked pointing the gun at Kade.

"Bobby, this is ridiculous, what are you doing?" Bryant moved over to get in front of Kade.

"What the hell are you doing Bryant?" Angel asked.

"These are the guys from West Virginia that I told you about. Put your guns down." She told them. "It's ok."

Angel lowered his gun, but Bobby didn't move a muscle.

"What are you doing here?" Bobby asked.

"Bobby!" Bryant yelled.

"We are here to see Bryant. We were in town and we came by to see how she was doing." Elijah was the first to speak.

"Ok, now you know, put the gun down." Bryant told him.

Kade put his hands on Bryant's shoulders and gently moved her to the side of him.

"What are you doing?" Angel replied putting the gun back up. "Don't move!"

"This is ridiculous!" Bryant screamed. "Just stop!"

"Don't touch my sister." Bobby replied cocking the gun back.

"Jack do something!" Bryant screamed.

"She's not your sister." Kade spat.

"JACK!" she screamed.

"Why are they here Bryant?" Jack asked. "Did you call them?"

"No." she yelled. "That's not important right now, our brother is going to kill them."

"You told me everything was fine, that you weren't going to leave."

"I'm not." She had tears streaming down her face as she whispered to him.

"Right." He turned away and stomped up the stairs. She bowed her head as she turned back to Bobby. She gently put her hand on his shoulder.

"They are my friends, please. They aren't going to hurt me." She whispered through her tears. "Please." She begged.

He looked at her before lowering her gun. He wrapped his arms around her as she laid her head in his chest.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered. "Maybe you guys should go."

"Bry." Kade moved forward.

"You were wrong Kade. Wrong to come here for that reason. I'm safe here and I don't want to leave."

"Bry, listen to me." Kade went on.

"You need to leave." Bobby snapped. "You aren't welcome anymore."

"Stop." She whispered. "Kade, Eli, please don't hate me. My family is here now. My life is here now. Thanks for coming to see me, but its time for you to go."

Elijah nodded his head as he put his hand on Kade's shoulder and moved him to the door. She watched as they left before yelling at Bobby.

"Are you freakin crazy?" she yelled pulling away from him.

"La Vida local wasn't suppose to leave you here alone." He replied. "Its not safe."

"So what if I was here alone."

"I don't want you to be alone when people who killed our mother are still alive."

"You killed them remember?"

"We haven't found the source yet. You can't be alone for any reason. I saw their car outside the house, and I just assumed the worse. All I kept thinking about was you in here, scared to death, and me not being here."

She looked at him feeling sorry for yelling at him. "You're good." She told him with a laugh. "You had me going there for a second. I have to go talk to Jack now." She moved to the stairs. "Oh yeah and if you didn't piss them off enough, they are coming back tomorrow to meet you guys."

"Fuck!" Bobby yelled. She laughed as she heard him kicked something off the table as she walked towards Jack's room.

* * *

"Hi." She whispered gently kicking the door open and leaning against the frame.

Jack looked up but didn't say a word.

"Can we talk?" she asked.

He grabbed a box from the side of his bed and opened it up.

"Come on Jack." She begged. She moved towards the bed. "This is so dumb. Do you actually think that I called them when I told you that I wasn't going to leave?"

"Yes." He spat.

"Then you don't know me at all." She whispered.

"Then why are they here?" he asked. "Explain that to me Bry, because that's what is confusing me."

"Jack, I didn't know they were coming. Eli said that I sounded so hurt on the phone when he called me that he wanted to check up on me. Instead I think Kade was here to take me back to West Virginia."

Jack huffed before making him a cigarette.

"I told him that I wasn't going anywhere. He was here this morning when all the shit went down with Bobby and the cops. He heard that I was going to call and get a ticket back to Virginia. He thought I was really coming and he was ready to bring me back. I don't want to leave you guys. You are my family."

He looked up at her. "Please believe me, I would never leave you."

He sighed before patting his bed for to sit down. She smiled as she walked over to him and sat down. "You gotta quit smoking though." She told him with a smile.

He grabbed her, laughing, pulling her into him and kissing the top of her head. "I am so happy you are my baby sister." He replied.

"Why?"

"Because I can do this!" he began rubbing his fist in her head, messing her hair up.

"JACK!" she screamed. She pulled away and grabbed his pillow and began hitting him with it. He tackled her onto the floor and began hitting her with the same pillow. "STOP!" she screamed through her laughs. He kept hitting her as she balled into the fetal position. "OWE!" she yelled covering her eye.

"Oh shit, Bry, are you ok?" he asked dropping the pillow.

She covered her face and turned away from him. "Damn it." He cussed. "I'm sorry."

She didn't say a word until he was over her. She grabbed the pillow and tripped him to the ground.

"Fairy!" she yelled hitting him in the head with it. She laughed as she kept beating him until they were both of breath and leaning against his bed. "See I told you, you need to quit smoking." She told him looking over at him as he breathe heavily.

He laughed. "And what's your excuse?"

"I'm getting old." She laughed.

"Yeah, right."

He reached over and hit her once more with the pillow.

* * *

Kade walked away from Elijah pissed off. "Kade!" Elijah yelled after him. "Come on man, its cold as hell out here."

"Just go on then!" Kade yelled.

"Kade, she is ok man. Isn't that what you wanted to know?"

"No!" he yelled. "It's not Elijah! I want her back with us. Not with…_them"_ He pointed towards the house.

"Why do you hate them so much?" Elijah asked.

"You won't understand!" he pushed him away.

"Explain it to me, because I am dying to know. Are you still pissed that she is happy with people other than us? She was twelve years old and we were the only people who gave a shit about her. Why are you making yourself miserable thinking that she isn't happy here?"

"Eli, I'm not going to say it again." Kade threatened.

"Don't threatened me. It doesn't have any effect."

"Why are you ok with the fact that we aren't her family anymore?" Kade got into his face.

"Because she is happy." He responded gently.

"And how in the hell do you know that? The woman who adopted her just died, how could she possibly be happy?"

Elijah pointed up to the house to the second floor. The lights were on in the room as she had just walked in. Suddenly she started laughing. They watched as Jack and Bryant got into a pillow fight.

"She's ok." Elijah whispered. "We don't have anything to worry about."

"Really? That fuckin brother of hers, whatever the hell he is, pulling a gun on us Eli. He was going to shoot us."

Elijah didn't open his mouth. "Maybe you're right, she might be happy here, but she isn't safe." Kade replied.

"She says she is, then she is. She was never really safe in West Virginia either. Look at what happened. Her father tried to kill her so she ran away. She came to our house, then the cops took her away. How did we keep her safe?"

"She…" Kade started, but he didn't know what to say.

"She wants us to come back tomorrow and I think we should. We need to sit down with everyone and act like adults. I refuse to fight over her, when she isn't in any danger. She wants us to all be a family again and I will be damned if you ruin that." He shoved Kade out of the way and walked to the car. "It's damn cold out here. Let's get the hell back to the hotel."

Kade looked back up at the room before sighing. "I just can't lose her again." He whispered. "I won't be able to live with myself." He turned away and walked towards the car with his hands in his pocket.

**Author: Ok, so I don't know about this chapter, but I thought I would give you another one because I am leaving for the beach tomorrow, but just let me know what you think!**

**REVIEW!**


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Four Brother characters, but I do however own anyone that wasn't in the movie

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Four Brother characters, but I do however own anyone that wasn't in the movie.

Bryant woke up to her alarm screaming at her at 7:30 A.M. She smiled knowing that Elijah and Kade would be back over. Hopefully things will go more smoothly than the night before. She put some pants on over her shorts and walked out into the hallway. She heard a noise coming from the bathroom, so decided to check it out.

"BOBBY!" she screamed backing out of the bathroom.

"What?" he yelled.

"Close the door next time, or use some thing…wow!" she coughed throwing her hand back and forth in her face.

"Shut the hell up and get out!" he yelled.

She turned away and ran straight into Angel. "Bobby!" he yelled catching her in his arms.

"Bathroom." She told him "But don't…"

"Whoa!" Angel stepped back out of the bathroom.

"Can I get some damn privacy?" Bobby yelled.

"That's what I am saying." Jack's voice came from the shower.

"You are using the bathroom while he is in the bathroom?" Bryant asked laughing.

"I had to go." Bobby whined.

"Listen!" Angel yelled causing Bryant to cover her mouth. She smiled at him as she glared at her. "Me and Sofi did a lot of making up last night and I think I got a little rust on the tools."

"Oh man!" Bryant moved from the door as she watched him open his robe.

"Whoa man!" Bobby shielded his eyes. "Ask the cockologist in the shower"

"How the hell would I know?" Jack asked.

"You're the expert." Bobby knew that would piss him off.

Jack stuck his head out of the shower and looked down. "Rug burn."

"You're going to live, now get the hell out of here." Bobby snapped.

Bryant died laughing as she remained outside in the hallway.

"Hey Bobby, um Jerry hasn't be straight forward about his new project he's been working on." Angel started.

"What are you talking about?"

"Jerry ain't been straight up with us about that redevelopment project. I found out his dream's dead. Jerry got involved with some bad people. The city got on him about fraud and what not, cut his loans off like a month ago. Technically, Jerry's really broke."

"Do you think this has something to do with what happened to ma?" Bobby asked.

"No I'm just saying we need to look into it. It seems that Jerry owes a lot of people some money." Angel leaned his head against the door. "I need you guys to go down to the city and look for a guy named Douglas. He should know who Jerry got mixed up with."

"What are you going to do?" Bryant asked.

"I have other things I need to look in to." Angel lifted himself off the door.

"Angel!" Bryant appeared in the doorway.

"If you know something Angel, you need to tell us." Bobby yelled.

"This is a situation that's going to require a little finesse. And giving your prior reputation as a hothead, you'll be the first one to fuck it up." Angel replied  
"What are you talking about? I wrote the fucking book on finesse! Just let me wipe my ass…" Bobby yelled after his brother. "Angel!" he yelled after him. "Jack, get me some damn toilet paper." Jack an emerged from the shower buck naked.

"Oh man!" Bryant yelled moving to the stairs.

"Angel!" she ran after him. She ran all the way outside as she watched him get into his car. "Angel!" she yelled again.

"Go back inside!" he demanded.

"Take me with you. Please, I want to go with you."

He looked up at her, then looked to his side. "You have company." He shut his door and sped away.

"Angel!" she yelled.

"Bry, what's wrong?" Elijah ran over to her.

"My brother is in trouble." She replied. She moved over to the porch.

"Which one?" he asked.

"Jerry." She covered her face with her hands.

"Come on lets get you of the cold. Its freezing out here and you don't have hardly any clothes on."

"Eli, I need to find out what is going on." She told him not moving.

"Ok, we will, but you wont be able to do that if you are in the hospital because you have pneumonia."

Bobby came running outside. "That little shit!" he yelled.

"Bobby." Bryant replied. "He's gone."

"What are _you _doing here?" he asked turning towards Elijah.

"I just came to see Bryant."

"We have things to do. Come back later." Bobby spat.

"Bobby!" Bryant yelled.

"You know, actually stay. I need you to stay with her until we get back. Can I trust you with that?"

"Yeah." Elijah replied.

"What are you going to do?" Bryant jumped up from the porch.

"We are going to do what Angel said to do. We need to go see this Counselman person."

"Bobby…"

"Bry, I need you to stay here ok. I am going to leave you with him because you said you can trust him. So that means I should be able to too. I need you to understand that I am doing this for your own good."

"Bobby…."

"Bryant!" Bobby yelled.

"Is Jerry ok?" Bryant asked.

Bobby just stared at her. "I don't know." He answered after a long pause. "That's what we are going to go find out. Stay here with him, don't leave for any reason. Do you hear me?"

"Yes!" she yelled annoyed.

"Ok." He ran up the porch and yelled into the house. "Jack get your ass down here now! We have to go!"

"I'm coming, geez!" Jack appeared in the doorway. He looked at Bryant who was pale from the cold, then to Elijah. "What's going on?"

"He is going to stay with her while we go have a little visit with Douglas." Bobby replied. "Come on lets go."

Elijah nodded his head as Jack. Jack looked down at Bryant before nodding his head back.

"Get your ass in the car fairy, gosh hurry the hell up!" Bobby yelled from the driver's seat of the car.

Bryant laughed. "We will be right back ok." Bobby told her before starting the car and speeding away.

* * *

"Well its looks like its just me and you." Elijah replied. "What is there to do in Detroit?"

"Absolutely nothing." She replied walking slowly into the house.

He followed. "Do you want me to call Kade and Sky to come by?"

She looked at him. "I don't want to see Kade right now."

"Yeah, he doesn't really want to see you either."

Her head shot up. "What?"

"He is pissed that you wont come back with us."

She shook her head moving to the couch in the living room. "He is so freakin stubborn its unbelievable."

Elijah laughed. "So are you."

She smiled at him knowing he was telling the truth. "Whatever." she replied.

"So you going to tell me what's going on?" he asked after a moment of silence.

She looked at him before sighing. "My life is screwed up right now."

"Why?"

"My brothers found out the other night who killed our mother. It was a set up. They had found the contract killers and killed them, but they know there was a source, someone who sent them. I still don't understand why someone would want to kill her, she was too perfect. She's never harmed a soul. We found out this morning, that my older brother Jerry, has been lying about his business that he had started. He went bankrupt, there fore he has no money. Angel found out that he was getting mixed in with the wrong people. He told Bobby about some counselman down at City Hall that would know why Jerry got mixed up with these people. I don't understand though why this has to do with our mother's death."

"Maybe he might know who killed her."

"I sure hope not, that means he's been hiding it from us all this time."

"What do you think?"

"I just think he wanted to make something of himself and life is biting him in the ass like it always does with people like us."

"You don't think you are going to have a successful life?"

"I don't know. I don't know anything anymore right now." She sighed.

"Your brother sounds like a smart man, like he _is _trying to make something of himself. Maybe he just doesn't want you guys to know he failed."

She looked over at him and smiled. "I sure hope so."

* * *

Bobby and Jack were gone for hours as Elijah and Bryant talked. They talked most of the day catching up on old times.

"I did not!" Bryant yelled with a smile on her face.

"Yes you did. Don't even try to hide it!" Elijah replied laughing.

"Prove it!"

"What?" Elijah looked at her surprised. "That was over five years ago, you want me to prove it to you?"

"Uh…yeah!"

"Ok….Tuesday afternoon. You never came to our house, so me and Micah went looking for you."

Bryant smiled. "Go on."

"We had driven up to the school to see if you had gotten into trouble or something. No one knew where you were, so we went looking around the school for you. You were under the bleachers with Coleman Brown."

Bryant died laughing.

"You were like what twelve? I could have killed him."

"That doesn't mean we were doing anything."

"Yeah, I guess his hand touching you chest wasn't anything."

"Whatever, its not like you didn't do stuff like that."

"Not at twelve!"

Bryant died laughing. "I had no clue what I was doing actually."

"I could see that." Elijah laughed. Bryant huffed before throwing a pillow at him. "Then you had the nerve to ask Kade what sex was."

"Oh my gosh, I did!" Bryant covered her mouth. "I totally forgot about that. His eyes were hilarious. He looked so surprised that he couldn't even talk. He just stared at me for hours. By the time he came back to reality, it was time for me to go home."

"I don't even think he knew the answer himself."

Bryant began laughing again. The door came flying open with an angry Bobby storming in. "Bobby!" Bryant jumped up off the couch.

"We have to go!" he yelled grabbing her arm and pulling her towards him.

"Where are we going?" she asked as they stopped by the door. Bobby grabbed her coat and was putting it on for her.

"Come on hurry up." Bobby told her grabbing her scarf.

"Is it Jerry?"

"Hey look, if you need to go do some stuff I can stay with her its not a problem." Elijah appeared in the doorway.

"She needs to come with us." Bobby replied. "Come on, we have to go."

"Bobby you're scaring me." Bryant replied wrapping her scarf around her neck.

"Come on, Jack is in the car. We need to go." Bobby looked over at Elijah. "Thanks."

Bryant looked back at Elijah as Bobby pulled her towards the car. "I'm sorry." She mouthed as Bobby opened the door for her. She looked up as Jack looked back at her.

"What happened?" she asked.

"We found out who is behind all this shit. Angel called and said that we all needed to meet him at the bowling alley. He wanted you here too." Bobby replied.

"Do you think it has to do with Jerry?"

"Yes." Bobby replied.

Bryant sighed as she laid her head against the seat. She closed her eyes as tears streamed down her face. "Did he have something to do with Ma's death? Just go ahead and tell me, don't lie me."

Bobby looked at her in the rearview mirror before sighing. "I have no idea." He replied softly.

"What's going to happen?"

Bobby looked away from her and didn't respond. She looked at Jack who just turned back around in his seat.

* * *

They arrived at the bowling alley moments after Bobby had picked her up. She just wanted to sit in the car not really wanting to know what was going on inside.

"Come on, we have to go." Bobby told her lifting his seat to let her out.

She sighed before climbing out.

"What do you think he found?" Jack asked.

"I don't know, but it's something big." Bobby replied.

"How do you know?"

"By the sound of his voice. I know my brother." Bobby looked at Bryant who began to shake. He reached down and grabbed her hand.

"There he is." Jack replied pointing over at the bar. Angel was sitting down with a beer already in his hand.

"Come on, lets see what he is has to say." Bobby pulled Bryant towards him.

"Hey." Angel whispered.

"What are you doing?" Bryant asked.

"Come here." Angel replied motioning for her to come to him. She let go of Bobby's hand and walked over to him. Angel grabbed her arm and pulled her into a hug. She could feel his breath through her hair as he rested his head on hers. "Did you guys find anything with Douglas?"

"Oh, yeah. Real public server," Bobby said with a soft chuckle.

"What?"

"You remember back in the day a guy named Malcolm Sweet?"

"Yeah, what about him?"  
"Looks like his nephew is running things now. Victor Sweet seems to have grown up. Looks like he was tired of being picked on his entire life. He's been running the streets for quite some time now."

"He the one who shut Jerry down?"

"Yeah, he's the one."

Angel sat his beer down and released Bryant from his grip. "You see that guy over there with his family? The one with the fat head."

"Yeah, Evander. He and Jerry use to go back to the Union days."

"He goes by Evan now. He's been running shit for a guy named Vic."

"You guys are coming up with this fast." Jack replied sitting down.

"Yeah, we should have been cops." Bobby laughed reaching for a beer. "Why are we here Angel?"

"Yeah, why did you want us all to be here?" Bryant asked.

Angel looked down at her, but he wasn't able to talk. "Shit!" Jack spat.

Bryant twirled around. Jerry had walked over to Evan, looking all suspicious. Jerry looked around the area before pulling a yellow envelope out of his pants. He slipped it over to Evan before turning and walking way. "I found out that Jerry wasn't being too honest with us, so I went to see into some things. Turns out Jerry got a big insurance check for Ma's death that just so happen forgot to tell us about."

"Come on." Bobby replied slamming his beer down on the bar. "We'll worry about Jerry later."

Jack looked over at Bryant. "I know you don't want to do this, but its getting serious now." He whispered.

She shook her head. "We have to go now." She whispered walking away from him.

* * *

"Its nice to see you boys, but we were just leaving." Evan reached for his daughter and held her close.

"What were you and Jerry talking about?" Bobby asked.

"Just saying hello. Me and Jerry go way back, back to the Union days. You know that Bobby." Evan replied.

"Angel tells me you're one of Victor Sweet's boys now. Going around letting him treat you like a house nigga." Bobby was getting angry.

"What are you thinking Evan that dudes a punk." Angel replied.

"You've been gone for a long time fellas. A lot of things have changed."

"What's in the envelope?" Bobby asked.

"What envelope?"

"You want to play that fucking game right now?" Bobby moved forward, lifting his shirt revealing his gun. Bryant closed her eyes and leaned her head against Jack.

"You going to do that here?" Evan tightened his grip on his daughter.

"Right here and right now."

"Give us the envelope Evan and get walking." Angel snapped.

Bryant wiped her eyes as she stared at Evan's daughter. Evan reached into his back pocket and pulled out the envelope.

"You don't know what you are doing."

"Go, take your wife and you kids home. I'm sure we will see you real soon." Bobby told him. "Lets go." Bobby put the envelope in his pants before storming towards the door.

"Where are we going?" Bryant moved next to him. It was the first time she spoke since they confronted Evan.

"Pay our brother a little visit." Bobby snapped.

"What?" Bryant stopped in her tracks. She felt her stomach jump to her throat.

"Get in the car." Bobby told her. She didn't moved from her spot. "I said get in the fucking car!" Bobby yelled causing Bryant to jump. She grabbed hold on Jack's hand.

"Bobby, you need to calm down!" Angel told him.

"I want to go home." Bryant whispered. "Please, I just want to go home." Tears began to stream down her face.

Bobby slammed the door to the car as Jack gently pulled Bryant. He pushed her into the backseat of Sofi's Honda.

"Come on Bobby, lets go just go home ok. We will deal with Jerry tomorrow." Angel told him.

"What do you want to do Angel? Huh? Our fucking brother had something to do with our mother's death. Do you want to just let him walk away from that?"

"You don't know that!" Bryant cried. "You don't know if he is involved or not."

"Angel." Bobby whispered through his teeth.

Angel nodded his head before starting the car. Bryant closed her eyes and dug her head into Jack's arm as she cried. She felt the car come to a stop.

"Where are we?" she asked looking around. She looked up and saw Jerry's house in front of her. "Are you serious?" she asked jumping up. We cant go in there, he is our brother!"

"I ain't playing no more. I'm gonna go in there and bust that melon..." Bobby opened the door of the car. Jack's hand left Bryant shoulders to pull him back in the car.

"His family is in there!" Jack replied jerking him back. Bobby jerked away and sat back against the seat.

"Bobby you are gong to have to calm down!" Angel demanded.

"I'm calm. He thinks I'm an idiot! He thinks I don't know what the fuck is going on!" Bobby was breathing heavily.

"I am going to call him." Angel replied getting out his phone and dialing Jerry's number.

"Come down Bobby." Jack told him patting him on the shoulder.

"Hey Jer, its Angel…"

Bryant pulled away from Jack and leaned up. "You willing to kill your own brother?" Bryant snapped in Bobby's ear. "You willing to throw away everything that Ma taught you because you are pissed off?"

"Sit back." Jack told her pulling her towards him.

"You are a selfish man Bobby Mercer if you think this is just about you now because its not. It's about all of us now. You promised me nothing would happen to one of us and now you thinking about killing our own brother because you are assuming he had something to do with Ma's death. We don't know anything and you are ready to kill someone who is my life."

"You don't understand what is going on." Bobby replied through his teeth.

Angel hung up the phone. "He coming?" Bobby asked

"Yeah, he's coming." Angel threw the phone down into the floorboard before rubbing his hands over his face.

"I will have no part in this, do you hear me? I will not watch you tear our family apart!" she yelled.

"Bry…" Jack whispered.

"Don't you think we have suffered enough?" she whispered with tears streaming down her face. "Don't you think I have suffered enough in my life?"

"Don't bring that shit up!" Bobby yelled.

"I just want it to end Bobby. I want my life to get back to normal and it hasn't been normal since that night at the party."

"Drive!" Bobby demanded not listening to his sister.

Angel put the car in drive and began driving back to the house. The ride was silent, but it was fast. Bryant didn't wait for the car to come to a complete stop before she opened the door. She went running up the stairs to the porch. She noticed the light was still on, maybe Sofi was home. As she entered the porch she heard a noise that caught her attention.

"You alright?" it was Elijah.

"Eli!" she ran straight to him and wrapped her arms around him.

"What happened?"

"He's crazy. He's freakin crazy." She replied through her tears.

"Its ok, tell me what happened?" he was stroking her head when the boys appeared on the porch.

"What are you doing here?" Jack asked walking towards him.

"I was waiting for you guys to get home. I wanted to make sure she was ok." Elijah replied.

"She's fine." Bobby snapped.

"Yeah, I can see that." Elijah snapped back.

"Listen it's late, you guys don't start shit ok." Angel pleaded. "We just need to go to bed and wait for tomorrow to come."

"He's right." Jack replied. "Bry, come inside and let's go to bed."

"I don't want to."

"Bry…" Jack started.

"Go inside Jack, I need to talk to him for a minute." She told her brother.

Jack nodded his head before turning to the door. Bobby went to say something, but was interrupted.

"Bobby, don't…" Bryant looked at her older brother who didn't move from his spot. "I am going to stay out with Eli for a few minutes, until I can come to grips with what you are doing. I don't think that is possible, but I need to talk to someone and right now I don't feel like I can talk to any of you."

Bobby nodded his head. "Fine." He retorted before storming inside the house.

Bryant waited for everyone to go inside before you collapsed on the chair. She covered her face as she began to sob. Elijah bent down and began rubbing her head.

"Talk to me." He whispered.

"Eli, I don't think I go through with this."

"Go through with what? You aren't making any sense."

"Jerry was mixed up with wrong people and he might have had something to do with my mom's death. Bobby's crazy, he wants to kill him."

"What do you mean he might have had something to do with you moms death?"

"He got a check for her life insurance. He was paying off this guy today. We saw him."

"What guy? Bryant, this isn't making any sense."

"Victor, his name is Victor Sweet."

Elijah stood up from his position and stared at her. "As in Malcolm Sweet's nephew?"

Bryant's head shot up and looked at Elijah, who suddenly looked like a ghost.

"Do you know him?"

"Know him, yeah, I guess you can say that." Elijah walked away from Bryant. "He's my father, in some distorted way."

**Author: Ok, soooo let me know what you think? It's a small world huh? REVIEW!**


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Four Brothers characters, but I do however own anyone who wasn't in the movie…

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Four Brothers characters, but I do however own anyone who wasn't in the movie….

**Author: Ok, so just a few more chapters are left. Thank you to those who have stuck this story through! You guys are truly amazing!! **

Bryant covered her mouth as she turned away from her friend.

"I didn't want anyone to know." Elijah replied.

"How? How is this man your father?"

Elijah turned away from her. "It's complicated."

"What is? I don't understand."

"Malcolm Sweet is my father because…"

"Bryant!" Angel yelled from the door.

"Eli, you can tell me." She ignored Angel calling her. "Because why?"

"Bry…" Elijah started.

"Did you not hear me calling you?" Angel appeared in the doorway.

"Yes, I heard you. I just chose not to listen." She snapped.

"We need to talk to you." Angel replied ignoring her comment.

"I am talking to Elijah right now. Give me some time right now ok, that is all that I am asking."

Angel looked over at Elijah who was staring out the screen window. "Yeah, sure."

She waited for Angel to shut the door before talking again. "Eli, tell me who this man is."

"He's my father."

"I thought your father was in prison?"

"He is."

"Ok, so I am really confused right now."

"My adopted father is in prison. My mother married him after I was born and so he adopted me as his son. He is the only father I have ever known."

"I thought you hated him."

"I hate what he did, I could never hate him."

"Then who is Malcolm Sweet to you?"

Elijah turned away. "My mother was just a teenager when she became pregnant with me. She told me that Malcolm wasn't my real father and so I believed her. She had me change my name to Steven's last name. She only told me the story once but it stuck with me for the rest of my life."

Bryant got up from the chair in the corner of the porch and walked over to her friend. She laid her hand on his shoulder causing him to turn around.

"She was just seventeen when she met him. He was already known around the streets because of his family's last name. She thought of him as someone who could get away with anything and she was right. She was walking along the side of the road one night on her way home from a friend's house. Malcolm had pulled up beside her and was provoking her. She just kept her distance and tried her best to get home as fast as she could. She told me she was almost there, she could see the porch light from where she was. The car had come to a stop in front of her and Malcolm got out and began walking towards her. She didn't know what to do so she turned around and began walking back the other way. She kept saying that he was calling after her and she could hear the anger in his voice each time she didn't turn around and answer him. She could hear his footsteps behind her getting closer and closer, but she never stopped."

Bryant was the one to turn around this time. She knew where this was going and she didn't like it one bit.

"He had finally got up to her and grabbed her by the shoulders to turn her around. She made the mistake of kicking him and running. I guess that pissed him off even more, because he ran after. Before she could even get out a good scream he had her on the ground."

"He raped her?" Bryant jumped it. "Didn't he?"

Elijah looked up at her to see tears streaming down her face. "Didn't he?" she whispered.

"Yeah, then left her there to freeze to death with no clothes or anything."

Elijah walked over to Bryant and grabbed her hands. "You do not want to get involved with someone like Sweet. I don't know this Victor character, but if he is anything like his uncle, it's not going to end well."

"I don't know how to stop it. Bobby is so determined to have him killed."

"Sweet has more men than the government does in the army. Do you not understand that Sweet kills for pleasure, he doesn't care who gets in his way."

"I don't know why you are telling me this, I won't have anything to do with it."

"I don't want you to get into the path of it. He will kill anyone, no matter what."

"What do you want me to do?"

"I want you to come with me. Come stay with me at the hotel until all this blows over. I promise we will not try to take you back to West Virginia. I just want to be safe and you aren't going to get that here."

"You are starting to sound like Kade." Bryant turned away from him.

"Because you know he is right."

"This is my family. They would protect me with their life."

"Is that what it is going to take for you to see? Your family is going into a death trap. They might be able to protect you, but who is going to protect them. Sweet has men in every department, he won't stop sending them until every one of you is dead. Is that what you want?"

"No!" she whispered through her teeth. "I just want this to end."

"It's too late for that."

Bryant heard the door open as she twirled around. "Hey." Jack whispered. "I know you guys are talking but its getting late. I really think you should come inside before you get sick."

"I'm fine." Bryant told him.

"I know that you are, you always are. I just think you need to come inside with me."

"Jack…" she whispered before looking over at Elijah. "I am going to go stay with Elijah and them tonight. I really think it's for the best."

"For who?"

"Me."

"If this is because of Bobby, he is an ass. You know that, you've known that since you came here." Jack stepped outside onto the porch.

"It's not because of Bobby."

"Then what is it?"

"I just feel like I don't need to be involved in this anymore. I think it would be best if I just got away from it before it's too late."

"We are in this as a family Bry. We all need to be here tomorrow when Jerry comes."

"Why so I can watch Bobby kill him? No thanks, I think I'll pass."

"Bryant stop." Jack demanded.

"Just let me do this. I swear to you, I'm not leaving you. I will come back I swear."

Jack nodded his head. "What do you think?" Jack asked drawing his attention to Elijah.

"I think she needs to be away from all of this. She is just a girl, a girl who doesn't need anymore pain in her life. I don't blame you for trying to avenge your mother's death. I would have done this same if I knew who killed mine, but I do know that she is only seventeen years old. She is my life just as much as she is yours and I don't want her to get hurt in all of this. I know that you say that you would protect her with your life, but who is going to protect her when something bad happens. She really needs to just stay away until it all blows over. Cant you understand that?"

"I do and I agree, but it's not up to me."

Bryant looked at him with tears in her eyes.

* * *

"Jack close the damn door! You're letting all the cold air out!" Bobby appeared in the doorway. He looked down at Bryant who just turned away from him. "What's going on?"

"Bryant was just talking to Elijah." Jack replied.

"About what?"

"Bobby…" Bryant whispered. "I think it would be best if I went and stayed with Elijah for a little while."

"Are you serious?" Bobby stepped outside next to Jack.

"Yes. Everyone thinks it would be best."

"Like who?"

"Elijah and Jack…"

"Oh really? And why is that?"

"It's not right for me to be stuck in the middle of all of this."

"All of what Bryant? Explain this to me."

"Bobby stop." Jack replied putting his hand on Bobby's shoulder.

"Don't touch me!" Bobby demanded glaring at Jack who gently removed his hand from his older brother's shoulder.

"Bobby, you know that I am just a girl. I will probably get myself killed if I get involved. It's not right and you know it's not right. You know all the shit that I have been through, why put me through some more?"

"You blame me don't you?" he asked.

"What...No. Bobby, are you serious?"

"You blame me for what happened when you were fifteen and you blame me for Ma's death."

"Bobby, I don't blame you at all."

"Have I screwed your life up this much that you want to leave us…me?"

Tears streamed down Bryant's face as she slowly walked over to her brother. "You haven't screwed my life up at all. I love you with all my heart and I would never leave you. You are in your own world right now trying to find out who killed Ma. I don't blame you, if I knew what I was doing I would be right beside you, but I don't. I don't know what is going on at all and I am scared to death. I am so scared of losing you guys. I am so sorry if you feel that I blame you for any of this, because I would never want you to feel that way. I don't blame you at all, any of you. I just think it would be best if I went and stayed at the hotel with Eli and them, let you guys do what you have to do. I will be back, I swear." She wiped her eyes as she touched his arm. "You are my big brother and I wouldn't trade you for the world. Can you not see that?"

Bobby looked down at his baby sister before jerking her towards him and embracing her in his arms. He laid his head on hers, trying his hardest to hold back the tears. He could feel her jumping as she began to sob in his chest.

"Listen, I don't know what is going to happen tomorrow with Jerry, but I think it will be ok if you go with Elijah. Just promise me that you will come back tomorrow morning ok? I swear Jerry will be still be alive. He might be bleeding…a lot, but he will still be alive."

Bryant couldn't help but laugh at her brother's comment. She nodded her head before sniffing back the tears.

"I'll be back tomorrow morning, I promise."

Bobby nodded his head before kissing her on the forehead.

"Go on, it's late and you need to be in bed."

"Okay, let me go get some clothes and I'll be right back." She walked inside with Jack right behind her. He followed her up to her room before finally speaking.

"You sure this is what you want to do?" he asked.

"Yeah, gua you guys act like I am moving far away. I will be less than five minutes away and plus I have a cell phone. I _should_ be on your speed dial, call whenever you want."

Jack nodded his head. "Jack, watch out for them ok. You are probably the only sane one in this family now. Don't let him do anything stupid, and you don't do anything stupid either."

"You just need to be back here tomorrow."

"I will. I promise." She smiled at him before grabbing the bag she had just packed and walking towards the door. She turned back around dropping her bag and running to Jack. She wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her head into his stomach.

"I love you Jack Mercer, don't you forget that." She told him. She could feel chuckle.

"I love you too Bryant Mercer and I will never forget that."

She let go of him with a smile. "I'll see you later."

"See you later." He waved bye to her before she disappeared into the hallway.

* * *

"You ready?" Elijah asked. He was still waiting on the porch.

"Yeah, if you are?"

"Yeah, you got everything you need?"

"Yeah, I think."

"Ok, well say goodbye and I will meet you outside in the car ok."

She nodded her head before turning to Bobby. "Thank you for trusting him. It really means a lot."

"You told me I could, so I am taking your word for it."

"You can." She gently replied. "He is an amazing person if you get to know him."

"You better go. I better see your ass tomorrow or I swear I will come and find you myself."

"Just don't kill anyone tomorrow ok." She winked. "Especially our brother."

"I'll try not too." He smiled back.

She turned away from him and walked outside. It was eleven o'clock at night, nine hours until her life would change forever.

The ride to the hotel was silent. Mostly because Bryant was tired, but also because she was nervous. She was going to be in the same room with Kade for more than thirty minutes. She was actually going to be sleeping in the same room as him.

"What are you thinking about?" Elijah had broken her thoughts.

"I don't know, I guess how weird this is."

"Weird?"

"Yeah, I just feel like my life is actually starting to go the way I wanted it to."

"That a good thing?"

"Yeah, I think so."

Elijah smiled before putting the car in park. "Well, I'm glad I can be apart of that."

"Me too." She replied smiling. "How do you think Kade is going to take me staying here tonight?"

"I don't know. It wasn't up to him."

She smiled again. "And you know I wanted you to stay longer than a day."

She began to laugh. "Do you actually think Bobby was going to let me stay any more than a day? I had to tell him something that he would have believed."

Elijah began to laugh. "I guess you are right."

"But I do need to get back tomorrow morning. I just want to make sure that my brother is still alive and everything is ok."

"No problem. We will have you back by the morning."

"Ok, good."

"Come on lets go inside. I'm sure it's going to be a big surprise that you are staying and I want to get it over with so I can go to sleep."

"Yeah, you and me both."

Elijah hurried around the other side of the car and helped Bryant out before grabbing her bag from the back.

"This is going to be fun." She replied looking up at the hotel.

"Are you being sarcastic?"

Bryant laughed as she turned back to him. "Not really, sort of, the sarcastic part was seeing Kade."

"Oh, well yes, then it will be fun indeed." He put his arm around her shoulder as they began to walk to the door of the hotel. "You ready for this?" Elijah asked looking down.

"I guess so, can't turn back now." Bryant gave a little smile.

"It'll be ok." He opened the door.

"E, dude where the hell have you been? We have been waiting for hours for your ass to get back. I've been bored as hell." Kade yelled from inside.

Elijah laughed. "Had some things I needed to take care of."

"Well can you hurry your ass up, we are starving." Kade appeared in the room.

"Yeah, sure." Elijah looked over at Bryant who just stood at the door. Kade looked up and saw Bryant staring at him.

"What's going on?" Kade asked.

"Bryant is going to be staying with us for a couple of days. Her brothers have some business they need to handle with their mom and she doesn't need to be involved. So I told them she could stay with us."

Kade nodded his head. "You hungry?"

"It's eleven thirty at night." Bryant answered.

"Yeah, so." Kade smiled. She missed that smile. "You know I never sleep."

"I think that's your problem." She replied walking slowly into the room.

"You think I have a problem?"

"We all think you have a problem." Elijah's head stuck out of the bathroom.

"Hey Kade, man, they don't have good drinks downstairs." Skylar's voice sounded from behind Bryant, which caused her to jump.

"Its ok, we are going out." Kade replied.

Skylar looked up and saw Bryant standing in front of him. "Oh sorry. Didn't see you standing there." He replied with a smile.

She couldn't help but smile back. "Its ok." She whispered.

Kade looked up at his baby brother and sister watching the interactions going on. "Hey!" he yelled. "You want to come help me clean this place up. Bryant is going to be staying with us for a little while. So you can be a slob anymore."

Bryant laughed. "Sure." Skylar sounded annoyed. He moved past her without taking his eyes off of her. She couldn't help but laugh again.

* * *

"You guys like it here so far?" Bryant asked moving over to the bed to sit down.

"Hell no!" Kade yelled. "What is there to do here?"

"Absolutely nothing." Bryant laughed. "You can play out in the snow, if you like the snow and all."

"I hate the freakin snow." Elijah replied sticking his head out. He was brushing his teeth. "That's one thing I don't miss about West Virginia. Then I get here and there's snow everywhere."

"Well it is winter time." She replied.

"You going to school?" Kade asked.

"Yeah, I've been out since my mom died. The school told Bobby that I didn't have to come back until December. So I took that as an opportunity to sit on my ass."

"Yeah, well you better stay in school." Kade threatened her. "Your ass is going to be taking care of me when I get old."

"Yeah right." She replied with a smile. She looked down at her hands as things begin to get silent.

"Hey, Eli, how about you and Sky go pick up something to eat and bring it back here." Kade requested.

"Do what?" Elijah came into the room with a surprised look on his face. "Dude its midnight. Where would you like me to go get us something to eat?"

"I hop or something, damn." Kade was getting annoyed. "Will you just go?"

"Hey, I don't care about eating anymore. I am tired as hell." Skylar replied.

"Watch your mouth!" Kade pointed his finger at his baby brother.

Skylar lifted his hands in the air as if he had surrendered. "Okay, okay."

"Listen, I know you want to talk. If you want, we can go to the pool or something, let them go to sleep." Bryant replied.

Kade looked over at Elijah who just nodded his head him.

"Ok, let me grab my coat. I'll meet you down there." Kade told her.

"Okay." She got off the bed and looked over at Skylar who was staring at her.

"Quit staring!" Kade told him smacking him in the back of the head. Bryant started laughing as she closed the door behind her.

"Dude, she is gorgeous." Skylar replied just as she shut the door.

"Don't you dare think about it." Kade told him.

"Come Kade, are you serious?"

"Yes, she is basically your little sister."

"We are the same age."

"Shut up and go to bed. I'll be back later on."

Kade shut the door behind him and prepared himself for the conversation he was about to have with Bryant.

* * *

"You like keeping a girl waiting in the cold for a long time?" Bryant was sitting under an umbrella.

"Sorry, I was taking care of some things with Skylar."

"He has grown up so much."

"Yeah, that's what he said about you."

"Gosh, its so weird seeing you guys."

"Why's that?" he asked sitting down next to her.

"It seems like it has been forever, but I feel like we haven't even separated. I'll admit I still had some bitterness towards you and Elijah because I always felt that you could have tried harder to keep me from leaving that night. I was thinking about the other night, if what happened to me didn't really happen, then I wouldn't be here in Detroit with the most amazing family. I know that you think that I don't love you anymore because I am with them, but I do. You will always be my big brother and I will always love you and I just want you to know that. You have been there for me through times when I thought I wouldn't make it, through times I wished at the time I didn't make it. You were my best friend through times I wished you really were my brother. I remember when I was little that I wanted to marry you when I grew up." She smiled as tears fell down her cheeks. "I don't want you to think that I blame you for me getting taken away. It was my fathers fault because he hit me all the time."

"My whole life I wanted a little sister to take care of. I didn't know that when I was just seventeen years old, I would get a whole lot more than I bargained for, but I wouldn't change it for the world. You became my life and I didn't want that to change at all. When it did, I didn't know what to do. I looked for you for a year and a half, then they told me it was too late. You had found a family in Detroit. I thought maybe you were happy, so I let it go. There was not a day that went by that I didn't think about you though. I want you to know that, I thought about you all the time wishing you were back with us."

"I thought about you all the time as well. I thought about you everyday, but we are together now for a reason. I don't want to lose this time by fighting about the past that we can't change."

"I agree."

"I want to spend time with you and catch up on old times. I don't want to lose you again."

"You won't lose me."

"Good, because I don't know how much my heart will take if I lost you again."

"I'm glad that you are here with us now. I promise that we will catch up on old times now that you will be staying with us."

"That sounds great." She smiled at him.

"Do you still sing?" he asked.

She looked down at her hands. "Not really."

"Why not? You had such a beautiful voice."

"I don't know, I guess I just stopped one day. I still write lyrics, but I just never get to that point where I write the music and sing them."

"What changed?"

"Life."

"What do you mean?"

She looked up at him. "You don't want to know."

"Why not?"

"You know what happened with Elijah's mom?"

"When?"

"When he was conceived?"

"He told you about that?"

"Yeah, its long story and it has nothing to do with what I am about to tell you. It's going to make you angry. It's going to make you want to kill someone."

"Okay you aren't making any sense right now."

"I was fifteen years old and I felt like it was time that I did things on my own, without my brothers beside me. It was my first party and this gorgeous guy had asked me to go with him. We went without Bobby knowing, I knew that he would kill me if he knew I had gone so I make Jack promise that he wouldn't say anything. I met up with the guy and we started making out. We both got really drunk really fast and things just started going out of control. He took me upstairs and basically raped me."

"What do you mean basically?"

"I wasn't in my right mind. My mind was screaming at me to stop, but he told me that my best friend was up there and that I could go get her and we could go home. He took me in a room. I started to feel dizzy so he laid me down on the bed. I kept screaming no the whole time and I kept feeling my side vibrate, but I couldn't move."

Kade got up from the table. "You can't do anything about it now Kade."

"Why the hell not?"

"Because Bobby killed him."

Kade's head shot towards her. "He had taken off after everything and was walking along side the road. When I found him, he was standing on the bridge. Out of no where a car came flying past me and ran straight into him. He fell off the bridge and into the river."

Kade rushed over to her and embraced her in his arms. "That was the day I ever thought about singing."

"What does this have to do with you singing?"

"We met a talent show at school. We had to sing a duet together for chorus. That was when he asked me to go the party with him. You have to understand I was fifteen and he was the hottest guy at school. I never though he was that type of person."

"Oh sweetheart I am so sorry." He embraced her again and began rubbing her back.

"It's in the past now and I am come to terms with it."

"I don't think you should give up that beautiful voice."

"I haven't sung in two years."

Kade smiled at her. "What?" Bryant eyed him.

"Now's a good time as any to begin again."

Bryant laughed. "I don't think so."

"Come on, I have my guitar in the room. Let me go get it. I bet your music in your bag."

"Kade…"

"Please." He begged. "Do this for me. You shouldn't give up something you love. This was your way of letting go when you were little. You use to sing your little heart out all the time."

She smiled at him. "Just this one time." She finally gave it. "But don't you tell anyone about this or I will kill you."

"I won't. I'll be right back."

"Hurry up its cold." She wrapped her arms around her body as she watched him take off running towards the hotel room. She couldn't help but laugh as she remembered times together. She let her mind wonder to Jack. How she missed him. She reached into her jacket pocket and got out of her cell phone. She began dialing his number.

"Hey, I was wondering when you were going to call me." Jack answered.

"I'm sorry, I am outside talking with Kade. I was just thinking about you."

"I was thinking about you too. Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm ok. We are just talking about some things. He went inside to get his guitar."

"Why?"

"He wants me to sing."

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah."

"Are you going to do it?"

"I was thinking about it, maybe it will be ok. It's how I cope with things you know. I express my feelings more this way."

"Yeah, that's what music does for me. You let everything go in the lyrics and just playing makes you feel better."

"I miss you already."

"We'll see each other tomorrow."

"I know. Hey I found something the other day that you guys left me alone." She giggled. "Ma had a picture made of all of us on her birthday two years ago. We were all together in one room and she took a picture. She put in a frame and forgot to put it out. Will you put it out tomorrow for me? It's on her dresser and I had meant to put it on the TV stand."

"Yeah sure. I'll put it out right now."

"Thanks. Well Kade is coming back, I just wanted to call and tell you goodnight and that I love you."

"I love you too."

"I'll see you tomorrow."

"Sing your heart out."

Click.

He had hung up. A chill came over Bryant making the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She shivered as Kade approached.

"You alright?"

"I just got this really bad feeling in the pit of my stomach."

"You ok?"

"I don't know, it just feels like something isn't right."

"Are you that scared of singing?" Kade laughed.

"No I don't think it's that."

"Listen, you are going to be fine. I found your song book, don't worry I didn't read any of it. You pick a song, give it to me and I will play will you sing."

Bryant looked up at him before nodding her head. "I guess."

"Okay, go ahead pick one."

She began looking through her song book and found the perfect song. She ripped it out of the book and handed it to Kade.

"Okay, whenever you are ready."

She took a deep breath before nodding her head again.

_You walked with me  
Footprints in the sand  
And helped me understand  
Where I'm going  
You walked with me  
When I was all alone  
With so much I no along the way  
Then I heard you say_

I promise you  
I'm always there  
When your heart is filled with sorrow and despair  
I'll carry you  
When you need a friend  
You'll find my footprints in the sand

Kade looked over at Bryant who had closed her eyes. His mind went back to when she was twelve at the talent show at her school. She sounded so beautiful, all the hurt of her past was coming out in her voice. It was coming out in her voice now.

I see my life  
Flash across the sky  
So many times have I  
Been so afraid ooh  
And just when I  
Have thought I've lost my way

You give me strength to carry on  
That's when I heard you say

I promise you  
I'm always there  
When your heart is filled with sorrow and despair  
I'll carry you  
When you need a friend  
You'll find my footprints in the sand

When I'm weary  
Well I no you'll be there  
And I can feel you  
When you say

I promise you  
I'm always there  
When your heart is full of sadness and despair  
I'll carry you  
When you need a friend  
You'll find my footprints in the sand

* * *

Kade looked up at Bryant as she had finished singing. Her eyes were still closed. He gently laid his guitar down and continued to stare. After a few moments she opened her eyes as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"You wrote that?" Kade whispered.

"Yeah, did you like it?"

"It was beautiful."

"Thanks." She whispered shyly.

"You see how that helps. You don't need to shut that inside anymore. You express how you feel through music. It's a good coping mechanism."

"Thank you Dr. Sanders." Bryant replied sarcastically.

"You know how to ruin a good moment." He replied with a smile.

"Thanks for this Kade. I really needed it."

"I know that, that's why I suggested it."

"Right." She got up from the table. "Its getting late and I am really tired."

"Yeah, you should probably go to bed. We will pick up tomorrow afternoon."

"Yeah, that was definitely a one time thing."

"I don't think so." He put his arm around her shoulder walking her to the hotel room.

She laughed. "I can't wait to spend more time with you guys. I am so happy you decided to come."

"I am too."

They arrived at the door. "Goodnight Kade, I'll see you in the morning."

"Goodnight." He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead before opening the door. Elijah was pasted out on the couch and Skylar was asleep in the bed. Bryant grabbed her bag and went to the bathroom to change into her pajamas.

"Elijah, hey wake up." Kade shoved his friend. "Go get in bed. You can sleep with Skylar. I am going to sleep on the couch and let Bryant have the bed."

"Okay dude, whatever." Elijah groaned rolling over on his side.

"That means get your ass up and in the bed." Kade replied loudly.

Bryant laughed from the door. "Let him sleep there if he isn't going to get up."

"You need to get in the bed and shut up. Its way past your bed time."

Bryant laughed climbing into the bed beside the door. She smiled at him before shutting the light off next to her. She heard him get in the bed next to her. She couldn't believe she had finally gotten her family back. She just prayed that everything was ok back at home. She never missed home more, but she knew it was for the best that she was there with Kade. She knew he would protect her with his life, what she didn't know was this might be the last time one of her brothers would protect her. She closed her eyes not knowing what the following day was going to hold for her. She didn't seem to notice as the snow began to fall outside, causing the temperature to drop, things begin to freeze over…again.

**Author: Ok, so the song is by Leona Lewis 'Footprints in the Sand." It is one of my favorite songs and it is so pretty. So let me know what you think. The next chapter is what you guys have been waiting for, I wonder who I am going to let live and who I am going to let die…hmmm. You'll have to wait and see! REVIEW!**


	10. Chapter 10

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Four Brothers characters, I do however own anyone who wasn't in the movie…

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Four Brothers characters, I do however own anyone who wasn't in the movie…

**Author: Ok, so there are two chapters left after this one, maybe one, I'm not sure yet! But I hope those who have read this story liked it!! Thanks for all your reviews, they really meant a lot! Here's another one….the one you've been waiting for.**

Before Bryant knew it, it was the next morning. She was being violently shaken awake.

"Wake up!" Elijah yelled.

"Go away." Bryant groaned rolling over.

"Yeah for real. Shut up!" Skylar yelled from the other bed.

"Your brother wants you home at eight. It is seven fifteen. Get your ass up."

Bryant made a noise before throwing the blanket over her head.

"I don't think so. Kade went to get some breakfast. You need to be ready by the time he gets back." Elijah pulled the covers off of her body.

"ELI!" Bryant yelled.

"Shut up!" Skylar yelled back.

"This is so stupid." Bryant sat up.

"Good, now get up!" Elijah threw the covers back at her. "Come on, I let you sleep long enough. You need to go get in the shower and get ready to go. Me and Kade are going to be walking you home."

"Walking?"

"Yes, walking. It will give us some more time with you. Its just five minutes up the road."

"Ugh, but its freaking snowing outside."

"It wont kill you to walk in the snow for ten minutes."

"It almost _killed_ you." She snapped.

"Because you wanted to have a snowball fight." He snapped back. "Get your ass up, you've done pissed me off."

"Whatever!" she retorted throwing her legs over the bed. She grabbed her bag off the ground and stormed into the bathroom.

"Never ends, even five years later." Elijah mumbled to himself.

"Can I come?" Skylar asked sitting up.

"Do what?" Elijah turned around to glare at him.

"Can I walk her home too?"

Elijah rolled his eyes. "I guess."

The door opened and in walked Kade with fresh doughnuts. "Where's Bry?"

"In the shower." Elijah pointed to the bathroom.

"What's_ your_ deal?" Kade sat the doughnuts on the table and stared at Elijah.

"Nothing, it just took a great deal of effort to get her out of the bed. _This _one is going to join us on our little hike back to Bryant's house." Elijah replied pointing at Skylar who just smiled.

"He's mad because Bryant told him off." Skylar chimed in.

"She did not tell me off." Elijah yelled.

"Whatever you say." Skylar threw his legs over the side of the bed. "Anyways...I am going to go with you guys."

"I think you should stay here." Kade told him taking a bit from his doughnut.

"What? Why?"

"Because I said so. We need to talk to Bryant and we don't need her brother's interrogating you. Everyone can see that you have a crush on the girl."

"Shut the hell up Kade." Skylar yelled.

"You know he is telling the truth, so don't even try to deny it." Elijah laughed.

"I said shut up!" Skylar threw a pillow at Elijah.

The door to the bathroom suddenly came flying open. "Just to let you know, I can still hear even though the bathroom door is closed. _And_ you are out of hot water."

Kade couldn't help but laugh as he saw her standing there with a towel wrapped around her head. "Its seven thirty five."

"Good." She replied closing the door behind her again.

"She's beautiful." Skylar whispered. "Who wouldn't like her?"

"I can still hear you!" Bryant yelled from inside the bathroom.

Elijah and Kade died laughing as they watched Skylar throw himself in the bed. "I'm going back to bed." He replied throwing the blanket over his head.

"Get up and get ready if you are coming with us." Kade told him younger brother.

"I'm not going." Skylar didn't move the blanket from his head.

* * *

They heard the door of the bathroom open again with a fully dressed, beautiful Bryant all ready to go. "I'm ready." She replied wiping a piece of hair from her face.

"Let's go then." Kade replied. "Wouldn't want to keep the family waiting."

"It's good that you guys are coming, you can meet the whole family now. If Jeremiah isn't dead by the time we get there."

"What are you talking about? And who the hell is Jeremiah?"

"He is my older brother and he might die today. My brothers found out that he might have something to do with our mother's death."

"Nothing is going to happen to him…to any of your brothers. Bobby is just pissed." Elijah told her.

"I guess so." Bryant walked over to Skylar who still have the blanket over his head. She looked over at Kade and smiled. "And you, it's ok to have a crush. I have one too." She whispered before laughing. "Okay, let's go."

"I could have you killed." Kade told her closing the door behind him.

"And why is that?" Bryant turned around with a smile on her face.

"He's my little brother."

"So?"

"It's not right."

"Whatever."

"You two are going to be the death of me."

"If you're lucky, I could be your sister-in-law." She smiled.

"That will definitely not be happening. I will be dead before you guys get married."

"I can have that arranged."

"I bet you could." He laughed. He wrapped his arms around her shoulder kissing her on top of her head.

"Thanks for walking me home." She replied with a smile. "Let's try not to get shot in the snow this time okay."

"Can we drop that?" Elijah asked.

"Come on, it was just a joke. Unless you have enemies that I don't know about here in Detroit, I'm sure you have nothing to worry about."

"I'm just waiting on one of your brothers to kill us."

Bryant laughed. "I was waiting on that too, but if they haven't already, I'm sure you are safe."

"You think so?" Elijah smiled down at her.

"Yeah, you see, like you two, I have my brothers wrapped around my fingers."

Kade and Elijah began to laugh. "Besides, they know that I love you two too much." She looked down at the ground suddenly shy.

"We love you too." Elijah touched her shoulder. "I wouldn't trade you in for anyone else."

"Good, because then I might have to kill them." She smiled. She wrapped one of her arms around her body. "So whose bright idea was it to walk to my house?"

Elijah pointed to Kade who just smiled. "I don't know why you guys hate the snow so much." Kade replied.

"Um…because your best friend almost got killed in it." Bryant snapped.

"That was a long time ago. Snow changes."

"Right." Bryant laughed. "Every time it snows, I feel like something bad is going to happen. I hate the cold."

"Snow is suppose to be pure. Like a new beginning or something."

"So poetic." Bryant replied sarcastically. "Snow is water from the sky that freezes. Its beautiful once it starts, but when it snows every freaking day of winter, it kind of gets annoying."

"Yeah I have to agree. It kind of puts a damper on things." Elijah stated.

"Like this?" Kade had a snowball in his hands and shoved it right in Bryant's face.

Bryant stopped in her tracks not sure what just happened. She wiped the snow from her face and glared at Kade who laughing. "I had to do it." He replied holding his hands in the air as if surrendering.

"Sure." She replied kneeling down. "I guess I had to do this too."

"Don't you dare!" Kade warned her. She smiled at him before throwing it in Elijah's face.

"What did _I_ do?" Elijah yelled.

Bryant began to laugh as she took off running but Kade and Elijah were on her heels. She felt snowballs hitting her in the back but she kept laughing. She hid behind a pole waiting on them to come. Suddenly loud pops filled the air, but it wasn't close enough to be any of them.

"What was that?" she asked reappearing in front of them.

"I don't know, it seems close though." Kade moved over to her.

"Was is gunshots?" Bryant asked.

"I think so." Kade looked down at her. She looked at him before realizing…it was her house.

"Oh my gosh!" she yelled taking off running towards her house.

"BRYANT!" Elijah and Kade took off running after her. They were close to her house, she just wanted to make sure her family was ok. "Bryant stop!" Kade yelled. It was too late though. She had saw it, Jack hitting the ground, blood all around him.

"JACK!" she screamed covering her mouth. She tried to run to him, but Elijah grabbed her. "No!" she yelled fighting him.

"BOBBY!" Jack yelled tried to get out of the way. Gunshots began going off again.

Bryant broke free from Elijah's grip and took off running towards the house. Then it happened, like in slow motion. A gun was pointed straight at her, she could hear him pull the trigger, but she didn't feel anything. All she felt was her body being thrown to the ground, then nothing.

"BOBBY!" Jack screamed.

"JACK!" Bobby yelled.

"KADE!" Elijah yelled from behind a car. Bryant opened her eyes and saw Kade laying on top of her.

"Kade." She whispered as tears streamed down her face. He didn't answer. "Kade!" she cried again. Her head was killing her.

"Bryant, are you ok?" She heard Elijah's voice behind her.

"Kade." She cried, but he still wouldn't answer her.

"BOBBY!" Jack screamed again.

"Someone help!" Bryant yelled trying to get Kade off her. "Please, someone." She begged. The gunshots had stopped. Was it over? She looked over at Elijah was just staring at her.

"Bobby!" Angel yelled. Then there was a crash. What was going on? Was Jack ok? Was Kade? She finally lifted him off of her and sat up.

"Jack." She whispered. She looked over at her house, but she couldn't see anything. The van and Jerry's Volvo was blocking her view. "Kade." She whispered looking down. She put her hand on the back of her head and felt the knot forming from where Kade had jumped on her.

"You go ahead, I will take care of him." Elijah was at her side.

"Is he ok?" she asked touching him.

"I'm sure he is. He's probably just knocked out. Go on, you need to check on Jack." Elijah rubbed the side of her face.

"Eli, I'm so scared." She cried.

"Don't be, it's over now. Go on." He whispered. "It'll be ok. He's fine."

* * *

She nodded her head before lifting herself off the ground. She slowly began walking towards where her family was gathered. She looked back at Elijah who was hovered over Kade's body. She wiped her face before jogging over to Jack.

"Jack." She whispered coming around the cars. Bobby was holding onto Jack begging him to breathe.

"Jack! Jack, look at me! Jack, you all right? Hold on. We need an ambulance!" Bobby yelled.

"Someone call 911!" Angel yelled.

Sofi came rushing past Bryant with her cell phone in her hand. "I'm calling, I'm calling." She cried.

"Jack." Bryant whispered slowly walking over to him.

"Come on, Jack, you gotta breathe!" Bobby begged.

"Bobby." Bryant cried kneeling down beside him. She began to shake. "Is he ok?" she asked with tears spilling down her face.

"I don't know. Jack, don't you die on me you little fairy. Come on, Jack. Please! You gotta fucking breathe! Come on!" Bobby grabbed Jack by his collar.

"Jack, please breathe." Bryant leaned down to him. "Please." She begged. "The ambulance is coming ok, we are going to get you help but you have to hold on a little longer."

Jack looked at his sister and smiled. He tried to say something but blood came pouring out of his mouth. "Hold on!" she told him. "Don't leave me."

"Jack!" Bobby yelled.

Jack began to close his eyes. "No, open your eyes!" Bryant yelled. "You have to stay awake."

"Jack come on man!" Bobby replied. "Open your fucking eyes!"

"Please don't die, please." Bryant laid her head on his shoulder as she began to sob. "I can't lose you too."

The sirens of the ambulance was getting closer and closer. "I can hear them. Just a little bit longer ok."

Bryant looked around her. There was blood everywhere, all over the snow. Bodies were lying all over the ground. She looked up at the house, it was a disaster. She felt Bobby get up from his spot on the ground.

"Bobby!" Angel called after him. She watched as Bobby bent down and grabbed a gun from the ground and disappear on the other side of the van. She watched, waiting for him to come back. Then she heard it. A loud pop which caused her to jump. She looked back down at Jack whose eyes opened. "Hey." She whispered with a smile. "Stay with me."

"Bobby!" Angel yelled again. Bobby reappeared. Suddenly the house was surrounded by sirens going off.

"We got it from here!" a voice sounded behind them.

"Jack, stay awake." Bryant could feel arms come around her waist and lift her off the ground.

"Step out of the way miss, we need to get to him." Bryant pulled away from the man and moved over to the sidewalk. She wiped her face as she watched the EMS workers lift her brother's body onto a gurney. She gave a sigh of relief. He was going to be ok, he had to be. She stood back almost losing her balance. She had become dizzy.

"Bryant!" Bobby yelled grabbing her by the shoulders. "I need some fucking help over here!" he yelled touching her stomach.

"Bobby!" Bryant began to panic. Her eyes were becoming blurry. She began slapping his hands away from her. What was wrong?

"What is it?" Angel asked rushing over to them.

"She's bleeding." Bobby replied lifting her shirt up. "She was shot."

"No." Bryant began fighting Bobby's hands. "I wasn't…" She slapped his hand away.

"Then whose blood is it?" Bobby looked up at her. Her eyes looked at her brother, then over to Elijah who was still in the same spot. "KADE!" she screamed. She took off running towards him. Kade's eyes were open, but blood was pouring out his mouth.

"Kade!" she yelled falling to the ground on her knees.

He turned towards her trying to speak, but his mouth couldn't form the words. Bryant grabbed a hold on his hand as she watched him gasp for air. He was trying his hardest to hold on, but she knew it was hurting him more to fight.

"Kade, please be ok." She begged. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have ran, I'm so sorry. Please forgive me."

"Oh baby…" Elijah replied.

"Kade, hold on." Bryant clung onto his arm as she began to sob. "I'm sorry!"

"It's ok." Elijah replied stroking the side of her face. "He did what he promised he would do since you were a little girl. He protected you."

"Why? Why did you do that Kade?"

"Because he loved you. You have to let him go now." Elijah told her.

"No, I can't. It's too soon. We didn't have any time together."

"Bry, its ok."

Kate tried to speak but began coughing up blood. The sound nearly broke Bryant's heart as she watched her best friend slowly die. "Don't move, the ambulance is over there. They are coming for you Kade, just hold on ok."

"We need some help!" Bobby yelled running over to the ambulance.

She leaned down and kissed him on the cheek as he lifted his hand and grazed the side of her face. "You were so brave Kade, I love you so much." Bryant looked up towards Elijah when something caught her eye behind him. It was beautiful, something she's never seen before. It was her mother. Bryant's body froze, almost paralyzed from moving. She just stared at the glowing light.

"He's safe now, just let him go." She whispered. "Just let him go."

Tears came pouring out of her Bryant's eyes as she turned her head away from her mother back down to Kade. He was suffering, he was holding on for her. She knew what she had to do. She took a deep breath, knowing what was about to come out of her mouth was going to kill her. She closed her eyes and leaned down next to him. "Its ok, you don't have to fight anymore. I'm safe now. You can go to sleep…" She covered her mouth as she watched Kade smile one last time before closing his eyes.

"Kade." She whispered as she felt his hand slip out of hers. She bowed her head as tears fell to the ground, immediately creating a puddle.

"He's gone sweetheart." Elijah told her. "He's gone." Elijah whispered again laying his hand on her arm.

"I'm so sorry." She sobbed. "I just let him go."

"Bryant." She heard Bobby's voice behind her.

"Bry, he's gone." Elijah told her. "You did the right thing."

"No." she snapped. "It shouldn't have happened this way. I should have made him hold on longer."

"He was suffering, he was in a lot of pain."

She felt arms wrap around her shoulders. "Kade!" she sobbed "I'm sorry."

"It's ok." Bobby whispered in her ear.

"Please forgive me." She fell back onto her butt.

Elijah moved over to her and touched her arm. "It's ok." Bobby whispered again.

"Kade, no. What have I done?" she sobbed. She laid her head back against Bobby who tightened his grip on her body. "Ma, help me." She whispered.

"I need some help over here." Bobby looked up and saw a man standing beside them.

"What do we have?" Another appeared beside them.

"He's gone. There's nothing we can do here."

Bryant closed her eyes. "Kade." She whispered.

"Get a body bag. We have a mess on our hands."

"Don't act like we aren't fucking here. We can hear every word you are saying you dumbass!" Bryant snapped.

Both men looked at her before nodding their heads. "Sorry."

"Come on, we need to move out of the way." Bobby replied lifting her off the ground.

Bryant looked over at Elijah who just stayed kneeled down beside his best friend.

"Eli." She whispered. He looked up at her.

"Bobby!" Angel yelled.

"I'll be right back." Bobby replied letting go of Bryant.

"Eli, I am so sorry." She replied walking over to him.

* * *

Elijah watched as they brought a body bag over to Kade's body. "You know, he talked about you pretty much every day after he talked to you on the phone that night. It was the night of your mother's death. He told me he would die for you, just to spend one more day with you. He missed you like crazy. All he wanted was one minute just to hold you in his arms. He got what he wanted."

Bryant sniffed back the tears. "What do we do know?" she asked.

"I don't know." Elijah lifted himself off the ground. "I guess go back to West Virginia."

"No." she cried. "Don't leave me."

Elijah walked over to her and embraced her in a hug. "I would never leave you." He whispered in her ear.

"Stay here." She told him. "You don't have to go back to West Virginia."

"What about Skylar?"

"He should be eighteen soon. He can transfer here."

"Bryant." Elijah whispered.

"Elijah please. I don't want to lose you too."

"You aren't going to lose me."

"If you leave then I will have. I wont ever see you again."

"Don't say that."

She pulled away from him. "How are we going to tell Skylar?" she felt the tears begin to stream down her face again.

Elijah sighed before rubbing his hands over his face. "I don't know."

Bryant looked down at the body bag laying in front of her. "Why did he do it? Why did he jump in front of that bullet?"

"Because he would have killed himself if he had let that bullet hit you. He wouldn't have been able to live knowing that you died instead of him."

"Jimmy, I got this!" Green's voice sounded behind her which caused her to turn around.

"No." she replied letting go of Elijah and walking towards her house.

"What is it?" Elijah asked.

"What happened here?" Green asked.

"Sweet did this." Bobby spat.

"And how do you know that?"

"Because his friend in the body bag over there told me."

"Okay, well I will get a statement from him."

Bryant felt Elijah's arm come across her shoulders. She gave a gentle smile before laying her body into his. "Come with me. Lets go to the hospital." He whispered. "Jack should be wanting to see you."

"Jack." She whispered.

"Come on, lets go."

She nodded her head before moving with him as they began to walk towards the hotel.

* * *

The both looked up at the hotel in front of them. "I don't think I can do this." Bryant wiped the tears from her face.

"We have to do it." Elijah replied.

"I can't believe this is happening."

"Come on, Sky's waiting."

He wrapped his arms around her shoulder and brought her into him. "We are going to get through this together."

They slowly began to climb the steps towards the hotel room. Elijah took in a deep breath before opening the door. Bryant couldn't move from her spot. She put her hand on the back of her head and felt something wet. She slowly brought her hand back in front of her and saw the blood. She looked up, no one was looking. She quickly wiped it on her shirt where there was already blood.

"Hey, I was wondering when you were coming back." Skylar jumped off the bed. "Can we go eat? I am starving."

Elijah moved towards him. "You couldn't stay away from me huh?" Skylar asked smiling at Bryant who just stared down at the ground. "Where's Kade? I know he has to be hungry. That boy is always hungry."

"Sky…" Elijah whispered.

"Let me grab my coat and we can go."

"Sky…" Elijah whispered again, but he didn't listen.

Bryant moved into the room. "Skylar!" Elijah yelled.

"What?" Skylar appeared again. "What happened to you guys? You look like shit."

Bryant tried to laugh but covered her mouth as a sob escaped.

"What is it?" Skylar walked over to her.

"We were walking home when we heard a loud noise from far away. We didn't know what it was at first…" Bryant turned away from him.

"Eli." Skylar looked at the boy standing at the sliding door to the balcony.

"It was gunshots Sky. There were shooters at Bryant's house shooting up the place and we got caught in the crossfire."

"So what does that mean?" Skylar moved over to him. Elijah turned away. "What does it mean?" Skylar grabbed Elijah by his shirt, getting in his face.

"Kade was shot!" Bryant yelled. "He was shot." She whispered as tears streamed down her face.

"Where is he?" Skylar asked letting go of Elijah. "Where the fuck is he?" he yelled.

No one said a word. "Where. Is. my brother?"

"He's dead." Bryant slide down the door, suddenly becoming exhausted, as she listened to Elijah. "He didn't make it. He was shot in the back and it went through his chest."

"What?" Skylar looked away.

"Sky, we are going to get through this ok." Elijah walked over to him and grabbed him by his arm.

"Don't touch me." Skylar pulled away.

"Sky." Elijah grabbed him again. Bryant just watched from the door.

"Why?" Skylar covered his face and moved away from Elijah, but Elijah pulled him back. He pulled him into him and wrapped his arms around his body.

"It was just the wrong place at the wrong time." Elijah whispered.

"Why?" Skylar stood stiff as he put his chin on Elijah's shoulder. "My brother didn't do shit to no one."

"It was because of me." Bryant cried. "He died because of me."

"No." Elijah replied.

"He was shot because I tried to save my family. He caught me in his arms when the shot went off and caused the bullet to hit him instead of me. If you want to blame anyone, blame me okay." Bryant covered her face. "I just let him go." She whispered.

Skylar covered his face as tears began to stream down his face.

"I might have lost my brother too." She sobbed. Skylar moved over to her.

"I could never blame you." He replied kneeling down beside her. He reached over as she moved into his lap. "I don't blame you at all."

"What are we going to do?" she sobbed.

Elijah moved over to them. "We are going to get through this together." They all three embraced each other as they began to cry. "We have too."

* * *

"Where are we going?" Skylar asked wrapped his scarf around his neck.

"My brother, Jack, was shot too. They took him to the hospital." Bryant replied.

"Is he ok?"

She shook her head. "I don't know."

"What the hell happened?"

"I don't know that either. We were just walking when we heard shots. My family has been in this crap for a few weeks after my mom died. My older brother's found out that my mom was killed on purpose. They've been trying to find out who killed her ever since. I guess word got out. There were so many people at the house. I felt like I was in a war movie."

Skylar put his arm around her shoulder. "You're brother is going to be ok." He replied.

"I feel bad that you are coming with me to see how _my_ brother is doing when you just lost yours."

"I don't think I can be alone right now. Plus, you might need someone by your side." He smiled at her.

"Thank you." She whispered.

"Come on, I'll drive." Elijah replied softly holding the door to the passenger side open. Bryant got in first letting Skylar have the front. Elijah stopped him. "You are a good man Skylar Grant. Your brother would be proud." Skylar gave a weak smile before wrapping his arms around Elijah, slapping him on the back.

"I love you man." Skylar replied.

Bryant smiled as she leaned back against the seat and closed her eyes. This was going to be a long week, she could tell already.

**REVIEW!!**


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Four Brother's characters

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Four Brother's characters. I do however own anyone in the story who was not in the movie.

Bryant and the boys were the first to arrive at the hospital.

"Where are they?" she asked looking at Elijah.

"Maybe the police are still asking questions. Go up to the desk and ask about Jack."

"I don't think I can."

"Yes you can. Go on." He gave her a little push as she looked scared to death to even move from her spot.

"May I help you?" a brown headed woman at the desk asked.

"Yes…" Bryant looked back at Elijah and Skylar. "My brother was just brought here. Jack Mercer, he was shot and I was just wondering if you could tell me how he was doing."

"Just one moment please." The woman disappeared into a back room causing Bryant to begin to shake.

"What is it?" Elijah asked walking up.

"I don't know." She whispered.

* * *

A moment later the woman reappeared in front of Bryant. "Your brother is in a very critical state right now. He is in ICU and is not allowed any visitors right now."

"But is he ok?" she asked.

The woman looked around before answering. "He is critical condition. He was shot multiple times causing him to have some internal bleeding. He's not awake right now."

Bryant bowed her head.

"Thank you." Elijah replied putting his arm around Bryant and walking back to the chairs in the waiting room. "Its ok." He whispered.

"What am I going to do?" she began to cry.

"I wish I could tell you."

"My brother is going to die and I can't do anything about it."

"Your brother is not going to die." Elijah brought her into his arms and hug tightly as she began to sob.

"I am going to go get some air. You guys need anything?" Skylar whispered. He cleared his throat. "I'll be right back."

Elijah nodded his head as he kept a hold on Bryant, afraid she might break. Elijah watched the door the whole time. The sliding doors came flying apart as three brothers came running in.

"There she is." Jerry replied pointing over to Elijah and Bryant.

"Bry!" Bobby yelled jogging over to her. Bryant shot up from Elijah's lap and took off running into Bobby's arms.

"Bobby!"

"Baby, oh my gosh. Are you ok?" he asked holding her.

"Jack." She whispered. "They won't let us see him. They told me that he is in ICU and isn't receiving any visitors right now. Its bad Bobby, it's really bad." She cried.

"It's ok. He's going to be fine." Bobby knelt down holding onto her arms.

"Bobby, I'm so scared." She cried.

"I'll be right back." Bobby got up from the ground and stormed over to the front desk.

"B…" Angel slowly moved over to her. She wrapped herself around his waist. "You alright?"

"Yeah, just worried about Jack." She told him.

"Yeah, me too."

She looked up and saw Jerry standing by the door. "Jerry!" she ran straight into his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Your ok."

He laughed. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"I thought I might have lost you there for a second."

"No, it was just a misunderstanding that's going to get fixed real soon."

Bryant bowed her head. "You ok?" he asked.

"Not really." She whispered. "Come here, there's someone I want you to meet."

"The famous Kade and Elijah." Jerry smiled as she pulled him along.

She stopped. "Just Elijah. Kade…"

Jerry bowed his head. "Is that who got killed at the house?"

She nodded her head. "Yeah, he…"

"Hi. I'm Elijah, I've heard a lot about you." Elijah jumped in.

"Hi, Jeremiah. I've heard a lot about you as well. Sorry about your loss man."

Elijah nodded his head before looking down at Bryant. "You alright, you look shaken up?"

Bryant shook her head pushing back the pain of her head. "Yeah, I'm just nervous about Jack. I'll be fine." She lied as she gave a fake smile.

* * *

"I don't give a fuck what the rules are, he is my brother!" Bobby yelled. "I have a damn right to see if he is ok."

Angel began to laugh. "Never ends."

"Bobby!" Jerry yelled.

"You better be glad my family is here." He pointed his finger in the woman's face.

"Get over here." Angel told him. "Crazy ass."

"I am going to go see what Skylar is doing." Bryant replied softly. "Come get me if any thing is said."

Angel nodded his head.

"Who in the hell is Skylar?" Bobby asked sitting down.

"Kade's brother." Elijah replied.

Bobby looked up at Elijah. "We had gone by the hotel before we came here and told him about Kade. He wanted to come and be of support for Bryant."

"I'm sorry about what happened to Kade man. It's not right." Angel replied.

"You're right, but its life I guess." Elijah replied leaning against the wall. "I just want Jack to be ok. I don't think Bryant can handle losing two brothers in one day."

"I don't either." Bobby replied. Then silence. No one said a word until the doctor came out. "How is he, my brother?"

The doctor put his hand up to stop him. "He is stable now. He is still in ICU. We calmed the bleeding down and stopped most of the bleeding that is in his organs. He is under a lot of stress right now and we are trying to keep that low. He lost a tremendous amount of blood. We are having some flown from Boston, so until then we are only allowing one person at a time to go see him. He is not awake right now and he might not wake up for quite some time. He went into cardiac arrest on the way over here. He's body has gone through a lot in two hours. I would like to prepare you, your brother might not make it. It's all up to him right now. We are going to try to help him as much as we possibly can. If your brother does live, his life will never be the same. He will need therapy, mentally and psychically. If you will excuse me, I need go check on his shipment." With that the doctor turned around and walked away. No one said a word for a moment, until Skylar and Bryant came walking in.

"What is it?" Bryant asked walking to them. "Is he ok? Did the doctor say he was going to be ok?"

"B…" Angel replied but couldn't find the words.

"Someone tell me something." She was beginning to panic. She felt a hand on her shoulder. "What did he say?"

"He…he is going to need a blood transfusion. They are flying blood for him all the way from Boston." Jeremiah told her.

"But is he ok?" she asked.

"He's stable." Angel replied. "But he's not awake. He lost a lot of blood, but they got most of it to stop. He just needs to rest now. The doctor said that only one person at a time can go see him. So how about you go first."

"I don't want to." Bryant backed into Skylar.

"Bry…" Bobby replied.

"Yeah, I'm not ready. I want to wait."

"On what?" Bobby asked.

"I don't know!" she yelled. "Something."

"It's ok to be scared…" Angel told her.

"No, no its not." She replied shaking. "Being scared doesn't bring them back. Being scared doesn't do shit but show how weak you are. Two people are dead and my brother…" she covered her mouth to keep from sobbing. "My brother might not make it. I don't have _time_ to be scared."

Skylar touched her arm. "I'm sorry." She sobbed. "I should have never let him take me home. I shouldn't have asked him to come. He wouldn't be dead right now."

Skylar brought her in his arms. He didn't know what to say. He knew she was right, but he wasn't going to tell her that. "I can't believe this happening."

"What are you guys going to do?" Elijah asked directing his attention some where else.

"What do you mean?" Angel asked.

"Are you going to go after Sweet?"

"How do you know about Sweet?" Bobby asked.

Elijah looked over at Bryant before answering. "His uncle is my father."

"Excuse me?" Bobby stood up from the armrest of the chair.

"He had raped my mom. I don't give a fuck about him." Elijah spat. "I was just wondering what you were going to do…." He stared at Bryant. "Because I want in."

"Do what?" Bryant pulled away from Skylar. "You can't be serious."

"This is my fight now too." Elijah replied. "Someone has to avenge Kade's death and sure as hell isn't going to be you two."

"Eli, you can't do this." Bryant replied.

"She's right man, what the hell?" Skylar yelled.

"Bryant….go see Jack. He needs to know that we are here for him." Jerry walked over to her. "He needs you right now."

Bryant looked down at her hands. "Its ok, he is going to be ok." He whispered.

She nodded her head.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Skylar asked.

She nodded her head.

"We'll see you when you get back." Angel replied.

She nodded her head again before turning around. Skylar looked back at Elijah who just turned away. He reached down and grabbed Bryant's hand giving it a tight squeeze, letting her know he was there for her. She gave a gentle smile before laying her head on his arm as they began to walk towards Jack's hospital room.

* * *

"I'm sorry only one can be in here at a time." A nurse was in the room checking Jack's stats as the two walked in.

"Its ok, I'll be right outside." Skylar replied letting go of her hand. She suddenly felt alone as the nurse excused herself out. She didn't want to turn around and look at Jack lying in the bed. Noises kept coming from the machine hooked to him.

"Jack." She whispered. "Can you hear me? I'm so scared." Tears begin to fall down her face. "Please take me with you."

Beep. Beep. Beep. There was nothing but silence in the room, just the beeping of the machine. She slowly turned around to look at her brother. He looked so peaceful, not like he did lying on the ground in the snow, bleeding to death. He skin was pale, and his chest moved up and down, as if it wasn't him breathing but the machine. It was like it wasn't her brother at all. She was staring at a complete stranger, a stranger who was dying in the bed in front of her. She reached down and touched his hand.

"I love you." She whispered. "Know that…" she looked around the room. It was so plain, so depressing. "I'm sorry that I never told you that as much as I should have. I guess I thought we would live forever. I thought you were superman or something." She laughed as she wiped the tears from her face. "You were always there for me, even when I didn't want you to be. You never gave up on me and you always fought for me. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be here right now. You spoke into me words of life during a period I didn't want to live anymore. You gave me a reason to live. Now _I_ need to be the reason you live. You have to hold on a little longer Jack. They are going to bring you some blood so you can live."

Beep. Beep. Beep.

"Please." She begged bowing her head she began to cry. "Kade's dead. He got shot and it's all my fault. I was trying to get to you and a guy tried to shoot me, but Kade jumped in front of the bullet to save me. Ma…Jack, I saw Ma. She was there with me. She told me to let him go and so I did. I let him go and he died. I don't know what to do and I want you here with me to tell me what to do. I need you to hold me in your arms and tell me everything is going to be ok. I am scared to death right now. I think the boys are going to go do something stupid. I think they are going to go after Sweet and I don't know how to stop them."

* * *

There was a knock at the door.

"Hey." Angel walked in. "How is he?"

"He's just laying here." She told him wiping her face. "He doesn't move, he just lays here."

Angel laid his hand on his sister's shoulder. "This machine is breathing for him I think. It keeps making noises."

"Hey, come outside for a little bit. Let me talk to him. Besides Bobby needs to talk to you for a little bit."

She nodded her head she moved away from the bed. Angel stopped her with his hand and pulled her into him. She dug her head into his chest as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Everything is going to be ok." He whispered.

"I just want it to end. I want to take it back so bad." She wiped her face.

"I know you do. I wish we could too."

"What does Bobby want?"

"To talk. Go on, let me have some time with him. I'll call you if anything changes, I promise."

Bryant nodded her head as she turned and walked out the door. Angel looked down at his hand and saw the blood from the back of her head. She shut the door behind and saw Bobby talking to the nurse ahead of her. She looked to the side and saw Elijah and Skylar leaning against the wall. She tried to move but her body wouldn't let her. She put her hand to the back of her head again and felt the blood. The pain was beginning to become unbearable. She looked up and saw Bobby staring at her. She had a look of horror on her face as she tried to move towards him. Instead she fell to the ground.

"BRYANT!" Bobby yelled running to her. He slide across the floor as he tried to catch her in his arms, he only got half on her. "I need some help!"

"I need a doctor!" the nurse yelled running over to her. "Let me see her." They turned her over and saw that she had turned completely pale. Bobby had her head in his hands.

"What the hell?" he pulled his hand back and saw blood all over it.

"She has a pulse, but it's weak. I need a gurney now. Start an IV. We need to move people!" the doctor yelled. Everyone seem to be moving in fast pace as they tried to save yet another Mercer.

"What happened?" Elijah replied.

"Her head was bleeding. Why was her head bleeding?" Skylar asked he was panting.

"I don't know." Bobby whispered. "Shit, what the fuck?" He punched the wall beside him before leaning into it.

"She must have hit her head when Kade tackled her to the ground. She didn't say anything about it the whole time." Elijah stated. "She seemed fine, I just thought she was scared for Jack."

"This is _not_ happening." Bobby replied through his teeth.

"Bobby!" Jerry ran towards his brother. "What happened? What's wrong? Is it Jack?"

Bobby shook his head. "Bryant, she was bleeding on the back of the head. She passed out just a few minutes ago. They are taking her to a room."

"What? How?"

"Kade had tackled her to the ground during the shooting. He was trying to protect her so when the second gunshot went off, the one pointed at her, Kade grabbed her and threw her to the ground." Elijah joined in. "He was shot instead."

Jerry ran his hands over his face as he took in a deep breath. "Well is she ok?"

"I don't know. They just took off with her." Bobby sighed. "This is all my fault."

"Bobby, don't." Jerry replied laying his hand on his brother's shoulder. "This is Sweet's fault. We are going to take care of him."

Skylar saw the doctor come around the corner. "Hey." He whispered.

"Okay…your sister is going to be fine. She will have a big knot on the back of her head for a couple of weeks and might have some headaches every now and then, but she is going to be fine. We are going to keep her over night to just make sure everything is going ok and according to plan. We have her on some pain medication so she should be fine for the night. You can go see her if you want, she _is _awake. She is in room 243."

Bobby nodded his head. "Thanks doc." He replied. "You guys go ahead. I am going to go see Jack."

Elijah and Skylar nodded their heads before walking towards room 243. Angel came walking out the room.

"What's wrong?" he asked looked at Bobby, then at Jeremiah.

"Bryant just passed out. She hit her head on the pavement. She has been bleeding the whole time." Jerry replied.

"How can we be so damn blind as to not see that our sister was fucking bleeding the whole time?" Bobby yelled.

"Well is she going to be ok?" Angel moved forward.

"Yeah, she's fine. She is on some pain medication right now. She woke up. Nothing too serious." Jerry replied.

"This is great!" Angel stated throwing his hands in the air. "What next? What else could possibly go wrong?"

"How's Jack?" Jerry asked looking up at Angel.

"He seems to be doing fine. Nothing has changed, he just looks lifeless lying in that bed. All those tubes are in his mouth and chest, it's not good. If he doesn't make it…"

"He's going to be fine. He has to be." Jerry interrupted.

"Yeah, for Bryant's sake." Bobby replied. "You guys go check on her, I am going to stay with him a little longer. Then we will deal with Sweet."

They both nodded their heads, knowing Bobby needed some time along with Jack. He blamed himself for everything.

"Come get us if anything changes." Angel told him.

Bobby nodded his head before walking into his brother's room and closing the door behind him.

* * *

"Hey Jer man, I just wanted to say I'm sorry for everything that happened earlier today." Angel told his older brother as they began walking towards Bryant's room. "It's just everything was starting to piss me off about Ma. I wanted to know who wanted to kill her and just the thought of one of my brothers having anything to do with it made me want to kill someone."

"Don't worry about it man. It's in the past." Jerry stopped. "I just want our lives to go back to the way it use to be. Maybe you guys actually sticking around a little more this time."

Angel laughed. "I'm sure I'll be around for good this time."

"Good, you might want to get yourself a job and quit bumming off of me."

"What money am I bumming off you? We just found out that you are broke baby brother, you can't lie about that anymore."

"Man, shut the hell up!"

Angel laughed as Jerry smacked him across the head. "You know I'm right."

"Whatever…"

They arrived at the room and saw Elijah and Skylar talking with their sister.

"Knock knock." Angel knocked on the door before walking in.

"Hey." Bryant replied with a smile. "How's Jack?"

"He's good, but the question is how are _you_?" Jerry asked.

"I'm ok. My head hurts a little but they are giving me medicine."

"Why didn't you say something?" Angel asked.

"I wasn't thinking about it. I could feel the pain, but I was more focused on my family. I really didn't think it was that bad."

"That bad? B, you could have died." Angel moved over to her.

"Stop it." She told him.

"No seriously, you could have. You could have gone to sleep and never woke up again. It's called a concussion and it's serious."

"Well I'm fine now, okay."

"No it's not okay. You are our baby sister, I would die if anything happened to you."

Tears begin to fall down Bryant's cheeks. "Stop." She cried. "Nothing is going to happen to me. I'm fine. I'm sorry that I scared you, but I am fine."

Jerry laid his hand on Angels shoulder. "Its okay, just promise us that if you are feeling bad or if anything is wrong you will tell us as soon as you can, we don't want anything to happen to you."

Bryant nodded her head as she continued to look at Angel.

"Where's Bobby?" she finally asked.

"He's seeing Jack." Jerry replied grabbing a stool.

"Do you think Jack is going to be ok?"

"I don't know sweetheart. He seems to be in a lot of pain right now." Jerry grabbed her hand off the bed. "But I do know that Detroit has some of the best doctors and I know they are looking out for him. I'm sure once they get this blood from Boston that he is going to be fine."

Bryant shook her head. "I keep thinking he is going to come walking through that door and start yapping about some band he had heard about or some song he heard on the radio. I really want him too. I miss him so much. I keep thinking about that night in the car with you Jer, the night that I was being so mean about Jack not caring about me. I want to take it all back so bad." She covered her face as tears streamed down her cheeks. "He was just trying to understand and I would never let him in because it was too hard. It was too hard to talk about what happened and I just shut him out, but he never quit. He never gave up trying to talk to me or trying to understand."

"Bry…"

"I don't know what to do without him. I want him here so bad." She sobbed. "I don't know what to do." The bed began to shake as she cried.

"I know that you are having a hard time with this right now, but you have to believe that he is going to be ok. He has to be." Angel replied. "He….has to be."

Bobby appeared in the doorway. "Hey." He replied walking in. Bryant wouldn't look at him. "So what Jack was getting more attention than you, so you had to go and pass out on us?" Bryant didn't move. "What the hell Bryant? Why didn't you say anything?"

"Hey!" Jerry stood up. "Now is not the time."

"Yeah man, do this some other time. We have things we need to do."

"Like what?" Bryant asked looking up. She wiped the tears from her face. "You going to go get yourselves killed now?"

"Come on Bryant!" Bobby yelled walking towards her. "Our mother is dead, your best friend is dead, and your brother is holding onto his life because of some bastard who thinks he rules fucking Detroit. What would you have us do? Huh? Wait for him to come to us? He has all of Detroit on his side, we would be killed in no time if we wait."

"Hey!" Skylar yelled moving forward.

"Do you not see it?" Bryant whispered. "Our family is falling apart because of this man. Now you are going to go find him and try to kill him. If he wins, then he succeeds in ripping us all apart. I didn't come into this family just for us to be killed by some man. Don't you think enough people have died? What is it going to take for you to see that it's over Bobby?"

"I'm done talking about this." Bobby turned towards the door.

"I miss them too Bobby." She cried. "But we can't bring them back."

"But we can send them some company!" Bobby replied before slamming the door behind him. Bryant just stared at the door as Skylar moved over to her.

"Bry…" he sat down causing her to look at him. "You alright?"

"I want my mom." She told him before bursting into tears.

"Come here." He pulled her towards him bringing her into his arms. She laid her head in his chest as she continued to sob. Elijah took this as the time to leave. He nodded his head at Skylar who just turned away. Elijah looked down and sighed before gently closing the door behind him.

* * *

The hours began to past slowly for Bryant and Skylar.

"Ugh, there is nothing to do in this place." Bryant replied throwing herself against her pillow.

"Sleep is good." Skylar replied lifting his head up from the couch by the window.

Bryant laughed. "Sorry, you can go to sleep if you want."

"Gee thanks." He replied with a smile. "I'll stay awake if you want me too."

"No its ok. I know it's been a long day. Go ahead, I am just going to write some."

Skylar smiled before laying his head back down. Bryant reached over beside her and grabbed a pen and the little notepad and began writing lyrics. She looked up and remembered the words Kade told her_. "You express how you feel through music."_ He told her. She smiled as she began writing down the words from her heart. All the pain, all the heartache from that very day was coming out on to a piece of paper.

**Author: Here you go, hope you guys liked it. So Jack's alive, sort of. Maybe, for now he is. Teehee! Ok, so one more chapter. I start school on Monday and I have 19 hours of Psychology classes, so I definitely won't have anytime to write. **

**REVIEW!**


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Four Brothers characters, just the ones that I make up

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Four Brothers characters, just the ones that I make up. I also do not own Disciples "Things Left Unsaid"

**Author: Sorry it took so long, school is kicking my butt, but I finally got some time to finish. Hope you guys liked the story…heres the last chapter!**

Bryant squinted her eyes as she felt the warm sun touching her face. Was it already the next day? She looked around the room and noticed no one was in there with her. Her notebook was lying beside her, open but face down. She turned it over and read the words she wrote the night before.

"I was wondering when you were going to decide to get up." Elijah appeared in front of her.

"What time is it?" Bryant asked sitting the book beside her.

"It's about ten."

"Where is everyone else?"

"With Jack. Skylar decided to go get something to eat in the cafeteria. I wanted to come see how you were doing."

"Good I guess."

"How's the head?"

"It hurts. How's Jack, do you know?"

"He's still in the same condition. Not much has changed. I do know though that the blood arrived this morning so they should be doing the transfusion soon, then we will have to see."

She nodded her head. She turned her head away from him and looked out the window.

"What's on your mind?"

"Nothing…" she replied looked back at him. "I was just thinking about things. How did everything go last night?"

It was Elijah's turn to turn away from her.

Bryant nodded her head. "I guess that answers my question."

"You don't understand…"

"I don't want to understand anymore Elijah. I am through trying to understand what is going on. It's not worth it anymore. People end up getting hurt and I am sick and tired of it."

"We didn't…"

"Are my brothers still alive?"

"Yes! We didn't do anything, we just came up with a plan." He was getting annoyed.

"Right and when is this going to take place?"

"Eleven." Elijah sighed.

Bryant shook her head. "I guess it doesn't matter what I think anymore, so I am not going to say anything."

"It matters to me." Elijah moved towards her bed.

"Don't." she replied laying her head back against the pillow. "Don't do that anymore."

"Do what?"

"Try to make me understand that this is what needs to happen. It's not right. My brother is dying in this hospital because of this man. My mother and Kade are dead because of this man, what is it going to take for you to see that he is powerful and will kill anyone?"

Elijah didn't respond.

"I guess I feel like it's my place to avenge Kade's death. He was my best friend and this _man_ took him from us. We already lost Micah, Bry, what do you want me to do? I lost my two best friends and it sucks like hell. Your brothers are trying to hold on to what they have left. Your brother is dying, I know that. They know that, that is why we are doing this because Sweet deserves to die. He deserves to know the pain we are in right now. He is not going to win."

Bryant crossed her arms over her chest as tears fell down her cheeks. "I don't know how to make you see it, but it's the only way."

She sniffed back the tears as she wiped her face from the tears before crossing her arms again.

"Please do not do this." He begged her. "Don't ignore me because you know its right too."

"Why the hell would you think that?" she snapped. "You are turning into them Elijah and I don't like it one bit."

"What do you want from me?" He yelled "Tell me!"

"To grow the fuck up!" she yelled back. "This is ridiculous. You talk about losing your best friends, why huh? Why did you lose them? They were both shot weren't they? Shot by people who don't give a shit. You will be just like them if you kill Sweet. You will be _him_. A killer!"

Elijah sighed as he turned around. He ran his hands over his face. Bryant turned her head as she covered her face. A moment passed before she spoke.

"I can't lose anyone else. My heart is broken into so many pieces right now and I am scared to death. I feel like at any moment it's just going to stop working because I don't know what is going to happen. I just want it all to end so bad." She cried. "Please don't leave me."

He turned back around to her. "Your heart is going to heal. The pain will go away." He whispered. "But we have to stop the pain and by doing that we stop the source of that pain."

She nodded her head as she looked at him. "I am so scared." She blurted out into a sob.

He slowly walked over to her and sat down on the bed.

"It's ok to be scared. It's ok to be angry as well. You are my everything and I lost you one time and this time I am not going to lose you again. You aren't going anywhere and neither are me or Skylar. We are going to be here with you."

She leaned over and laid her head into his chest. "Do you blame me for what happened to Kade?" she whispered.

"Never." He replied without hesitation. "He got to you before I did. I know I would have done the same thing."

There was a soft knock on the door before it was open.

"Can I come in?" Angel asked sticking his head in.

Elijah nodded his head. " Is it time?" he asked.

Angel nodded his head. "Yeah, can I have some time with her right quick?"

"Sure man." Elijah lifted Bryant off of him and kissed the top of her head before walking to the door. She gave a soft wave as he closed the door behind him.

Angel sighed before moving over to her. "You still mad?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "Jack's in surgery right now." He told her. "They should be finishing up here so maybe you can go see him."

"I don't want to." She replied.

"I know that, but he would like it. He needs to know that you are here for him."

"He knows."

Angel nodded his head. "Can I tell you something?"

Bryant nodded her head. "What we are doing today is because we love you and Jack so much. We are doing it because I will be damned if they try and hurt you again. This man killed our mother, your best friend, and almost killed our brother. My heart is so full of anger right now. I am a marine and I've never hurt so bad in my life. I was taught to get over shit like this, but I cant. The thought of Sweet winning kills me inside. Ma, was my angel. She was my everything and this man took her from me. I am not trying to get you to understand this, because you may never understand it. I am trying to get you to understand the love that six boys have for you. Five of them are dying on the inside because of this man. We have to go now, but I wanted to tell you that. We are doing this for everyone. Ma, Jack, _and_ Kade."

Bryant wiped her face. He nodded his when she didn't say a word to him. "I love you know that. And know that we _are_ coming back and we coming back as a family."

He walked over to her and kissed her on the forehead before turning to leave. She wanted to say something, her mind was screaming for her to speak. It was screaming for to scream for him not to go, that she loved him, but she didn't. She just sat there as she watched her older brother leave. She covered as face the tears began to flow.

* * *

Moments later Bryant was still staring at the door. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying. It was like she waiting on them to come back. She wanted to scream to them to come back so bad, but she didn't. She knew way in the back of her mind what they were doing was the right thing. She looked down and mashed the nurse's button. Minutes later the nurse came walking in.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"I'm ok, I just have a little headache." Bryant said in a low voice.

"Would you like some medicine?"

"Maybe some Advil or something. I was just wondering if there was anyway I could go to the chapel for a little bit."

"Sure. I'll just go get you a wheelchair and I will take you there."

"Thank you."

"Let me go get the medicine and wheelchair. I'll be right back. You go ahead and put some clothes on."

Bryant gave a soft smile as the nurse turned to leave. She sighed before tossing her legs over the side of the bed. She took in a breath as she tried to stand up. She got dizzy and had to sit back down. She reached down at the bottom of her bed and grabbed her jeans and shirt. As she struggled to get her clothes on, the door came back open.

"Do you need some help?" the nurse asked.

Bryant gave a little laugh before nodding her head. The nurse came over and laid the Advil down before helping Bryant put on her pants and shirt.

"Ok, you ready?" she asked after watching Bryant swallow both pills.

"Yeah."

The nurse grabbed her arm and helped her out of the bed into the wheelchair. They went in silence to the chapel where the nurse left Bryant. She stared at the piano ahead of her before looking down in her lap at the notebook. She took a deep breath before wheeling herself over to the piano. She opened her notebook to the song she wrote the night before and began humming the tune in her head. Just above the words she began to write notes to the song. She wrote and played until it sounded perfect in her head and on paper. She looked down at the keys ready to play the whole song. She could feel her body begin to shake as she looked back up the words and music on the page. All her feelings and anger were written on that page. All the pain in her broken heart was written in this song. She slowly began to play the song.

_It's just a matter of time a few days ago  
I saw you, you were fine  
Remembering what you said  
About the book you read  
The one Ma got you  
The Beginning of the End  
Oh how we'd talk  
For hours upon end  
What I would give  
Just to do it again  
But you're lying here  
In this hospital bed  
Won't you open your eyes  
And let's talk once again_

Bryant closed her eyes as tears began to stream down her face. She could see Jack with her. She could see Ma. She knew she was there. She could feel her._  
_

_If you fly away tonight  
I want to tell you that I love you  
I hope that you can hear me  
I hope that you can feel me  
If you fly away tonight  
I want to tell you that I'm sorry  
That I never told you  
When we were face to face_

Well I've been here all night  
And I'm watching you  
Breathe in and breathe out  
Is it really you  
Or just a machine  
That's giving you life  
And it's making it seem  
That there could be hope  
I could say to your face  
If it weren't for you  
That there would be no grace  
That's covered my life  
You took the time  
To speak into my mind  
And my heart  
Words of life

Her mind kept screaming at her to stop. The pain was hurting so bad as she was singing the song. She could feel her heart beating so fast inside her chest as she sang the words she had written down.

_If you fly away tonight  
I want to tell you that I love you  
I hope that you can hear me  
I hope that you can feel me  
If you fly away tonight  
I want to tell you that I'm sorry  
That I never told you  
When we were face to face_

The door slowly opened up in the back. It was Skylar. He came looking for her when she wasn't in her room and the nurse told him she was in the chapel. He could hear her beautiful voice as he stood outside listening. He heard her outside with Kade the night he wanted her to sing. How much beauty was inside of her. The beauty wasn't there now, it was pain. He could feel her pain as she began to sob through the song. This was the song she was writing last night. He softly sat down in a pew in the very back and listened with his eyes closed.

Bryant didn't notice anyone come in. It wasn't like she would have anyways, the song was taking up too much of her mind. She wanted to stop so bad, but it was like her fingers wouldn't stop playing the keys and her eyes wouldn't stop reading the words. The final verse. It took her two hours last night to write it. Too much pain, too much heartache. It was for Ma _and_ Kade. She wanted to tear the song up after she wrote it, but she couldn't. Kade's words came back to her about writing what she was feeling and that was what came out. She wanted him to be here with her. She wanted to take back everything that happened. 

So goodbye for now  
And I'll see you again  
Some way, somehow  
When it's my time to go  
to the other side  
I'll hold you again  
And melt at your smile  
Now all I have  
Are the ones that I'm with  
And you taught me not  
To take for granted  
The time that we have  
To show that we care  
Speak into their minds  
And their hearts  
While they're here  
And say I love you

_If you fly away tonight  
I want to tell you that I love you  
I hope that you can hear me  
I hope that you can feel me  
If you fly away tonight  
I want to tell you that I'm sorry  
That I never told you  
When we were face to face_

* * *

As the song ended she looked up and saw Skylar sitting in the back of the chapel. She had tears streaming down her face. He wasn't looking at her. His head was in his hands.

"Sky…" she whispered.

He still wouldn't look up. "Sky…" she whispered again. His head slowly looked towards her. His face was stained with tears. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I was…." He stuttered. He swallowed. "I was looking for you."

"I'm so sorry." She muttered.

"That was beautiful." He replied.

She wheeled herself away from the piano and towards him. "You probably didn't need to hear that."

"No, I think I did. That last verse was….beautiful. I know Kade is smiling at you."

She bowed her head as tears trickled down her face. "I just want him back so bad."

"I do too."

She closed her eyes and took a breath. When she opened them Skylar was bowing his head again. "Kade told me to write what I was feeling so I did. I didn't think that would come out, but it did. I wanted to stop so badly, but my hands wouldn't stop moving and my eyes wouldn't stop reading."

"That was an amazing song. I can't believe you wrote that_ just_ last night."

"Sky…" she whispered. "I want you and Elijah to move here. I want to be with you guys for good now."

He turned away from her. "I don't know."

"Please." She begged. "It would mean the world to me. Besides, what is back in West Virginia?"

"My life."

She looked at him and grabbed his hand. "I want to be your life now." She whispered. "I want you here with me."

He looked softly into her eyes and smiled. "What about school?"

"Transfer. You're a smart boy, it will be good. We can finish together."

He continued to smile at her before nodding his head. "Have you talked to Elijah about this?"

"Yeah, he said it was ok."

He laughed. "He would."

"So will you? Please?"

He laughed before squeezing her hand. "I would love to stay with you."

She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. "This is going to be fun."

"I sure hope so. Gosh I hate the snow." He sighed.

"I do too. It doesn't snow all the time though, that's the good thing."

"You going to come live in a cardboard box with me and Eli?"

"I will, but we have house."

Skylar laughed. "That's way too many people for my liking and too much testosterone."

Bryant laughed. She noticed he was still holding onto her hands. "It feels good to laugh again." He replied.

"Yeah it does. I was starting to think I would never know that again."

"I'm glad you found it because you have the most beautiful smile and it would be a shame for that to disappear forever." Skylar smiled at her.

She couldn't help but smile back. She watched his hand let go of one of hers and caress the side of her face. He gently cupped her face in his hand and pulled her towards him. She felt his lips touch hers and he kissed her softly. She closed her eyes, feeling her heart begin to piece itself back together again.

* * *

Around lunch time Bryant had wheeled herself to Jack's room. She made herself sit outside his door for five minutes, not wanting to go in. She sighed as she slowly lifted herself up and turned the door knob to go into his room. She looked over at the bed and saw that his color had come back. He just looked like he was sleeping. She gently closed the door behind her and moved over to him.

"Hey." She whispered.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

It was the machine again. The tube was still in his throat meaning he still wasn't breathing on his own. Her heart began to sink as she stared at the monitor and watched his heart rate go up and down. She looked down at him before grabbing his hand.

"You gotta hold on ok. You have to fight this. We've come so far Jack; I need you to fight this. I miss you. I miss talking to you. I miss fighting with you. I miss everything about you and I want you here with me. If that is selfish then so be it. I want you here!"

She leaned forward and laid her head down on the bed. "You remember that time when Ma gave you that book to read? The one that you have sitting next to your bed? I was reading it one night and it said that if you believe then it will be given unto you. I need you to believe Jack. I need you to believe that you are going to get out of this, but I need you to open your eyes. I need you to just take one breath of your own. Please just open your eyes for me. That's all I want."

He didn't move. She sighed as tears came to the surface. "Ma, don't take him from me just yet. Its not right. You know that I need him here, don't make me let him go too." She cried squeezing his hand.

"Jack, I know that you are in pain. I know that you are hurting so bad, but I promise if you will just wake up I will help you with the pain. I will help you with everything. We are going to get through this together, as a family. Please just open you eyes." She begged. "Don't leave me too."

She just waited for him to respond, but there was no movement. There was nothing but silence. Her heart began to sink as she watched him. She just wanted some kind of miracle to happen. She wanted to some how switch places with him, maybe the pain wouldn't be so much. There was a soft tap on the door before it opened.

"Hey, sorry to interrupt, but I need to check his stats." The nurse walked in and whispered.

"Its ok." Bryant whispered back. "How is he doing?"

"He's stable. He just got the transfusion, so we are waiting on to see if it helps him."

"Shouldn't he be waking up?"

"I don't know, I guess its up to him now."

Bryant paused and looked over at Jack before speaking again. "Tell me the truth please, is my brother ever going to wake up?"

The nurse sighed before moving over to her. "I believe its possible for your brother to recover from this, but its also possible for his body to have had too much trauma. Your brother is a fighter, I can tell by coming in here and checking his stats. Its up to him whether he wakes up or not. He knows his family is here and is fighting for him, so I don't see any reason in why he wouldn't wake up."

"Is he going to be in a lot of pain?"

"For a while. It will take time for him to heal. He is going to need a lot of physical therapy and a lot of time. It could be possible in a year he might be his old self again."

Bryant gave a soft smile and nodded her head. "Well I have other patients I need to go tend to. If you need anything just press the button and I will come. And Bryant, don't worry about him, he's a fighter. He doesn't give up that easy, he's a Mercer for goodness sake."

Bryant couldn't help but laugh because she knew the nurse was speaking the truth. She turned back to Jack and reached for his hand. "I love you Jack. I'm right here ok. I'm not going anywhere."

Beep. Beep. Beep.

She sighed as she covered her face with her hands and breathed out. She looked towards the window, it had gotten dark outside. Her mind began to wonder to her brothers and Elijah. Were they okay? She didn't want to think about it, but she couldn't stop. Tears began to form in her eyes. She was so mean to them. She didn't even try to understand. She just didn't want to understand. She never liked death, it brought too much pain. Fighting brought too much pain. She knew deep in the back of her mind that killing Sweet was the only way things would stop and her life would be okay again. She looked over at the clock on the wall. "Eight forty-five." She read aloud. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone and dial Bobby's number. She listened as it rang four times before going to his voicemail. She sighed before hanging up and dialing Jerry's number. The same thing happened. She began to panic as she dialed Angel's number. No one was answering their phone and it was scaring her. Were they dead? Did Sweet kill them? She felt her heart begin to pound; she couldn't control the breaths she was taking. "Jack…" she whispered holding her chest. "I'm so scared." Tears streamed down her face as she watched the clock turn to eight fifty. She rolled herself to the door as she began to panic even more. She swung it open as tears began to pour down her cheeks. Her mind was wondering, it was wondering to the worst thoughts. Her brothers weren't ok. They weren't safe. Were they alive? She was tired of the chair. She stood up and almost fell over, but she caught herself on the wall. She needed to know if they were ok. She _had_ to know. She got to the lobby and saw people all around, waiting to get in with the doctor.

"Hey are you ok?" someone touched her arm. She didn't bother looking at them or even responding. She had one thing on her mind. She shrugged the hand away and scanned the room. She could feel her chest becoming heavier as she scanned and didn't see them. She heard the door slide open, praying it was them. No one walked through.

"Hey I think you need to sit down." The voice was behind her again. She still ignored it and started to move around to look for her brothers.

"Bryant!" Skylar's voice was behind. It was far away. She didn't even bother to turn around. The door came open again. Her head was getting dizzier by the minute, but she ignored the pain. She ignored the fact that people were now staring at her and trying to get her to sit down.

"Bryant!" That voice. She knew that voice. It was like in slow motion; her head turns towards the door and saw him. Her brother. She didn't know she was moving. Her body was about to give out, but she felt his arms come around her. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Bobby!" she cried. He fell to his knees and held her in his arms. Skylar moved ahead of her and saw Elijah standing at the door. He took off running to him as the slapped each others back while embracing.

"Shh, it's ok." Bobby whispered in Bryant's hair.

"I thought I lost you forever." She sobbed.

"What are you doing out of your room?" he asked pulling her away from him. She had tears streaming down her face as she stared him.

"I was scared; I had to know that you were ok." She watched him smile as she wrapped her arms around him again.

"We're okay." He whispered.

"I love you Bobby, I love you guys so much." She cried. "Please don't leave again."

"We won't. I promise." He told her rubbing her back.

"Hey B, how's Jack?" Angel spoke.

She leaned off of Bobby and looked up. Everyone looked like they had gotten the crap kicked out of them.

"He seems to be okay. They gave him the transfusion, but he still isn't awake." She looked down at Bobby who was just staring at her. "What happened to you?" she asked.

"A little obstacle we had to overcome." Bobby replied with a smirk.

"With who?"

"The cops, who else?" Angel laughed.

"And Sweet?" she asked looking back at Bobby.

"He's taken care of." He told her. "He won't be giving us anymore trouble."

She smiled at him. "Good." She whispered.

"Come on, let's go see how Jack is doing and get you back into the bed." Bobby replied lifting her up. "You don't need to be passing out everywhere." She held onto his side as she stared up at Angel. She moved towards him and wrapped her arm around his waist.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

"Don't be, it doesn't matter anymore." He told her rubbing the back of her head.

She let go of him and moved back towards Bobby's body and looked over at the door. Elijah was standing there with his hands in his pockets, waiting. She moved over to him as she saw a smile form on his face.

"You are too much Elijah Rollins." She replied.

"Yeah, well I try." He replied shrugging his shoulders. She walked into his arms and dug her head into his chest. He closed his eyes and he felt her sniff in his shirt. She pulled away and smiled at him.

"Lets go see Jack." He replied still holding onto her hand.

She nodded her head. She looked around at her family and friends standing before her. Though the circumstances were bad, she wouldn't have it any other way. They were all together. She moved over to Bobby, letting go of Elijah's hand and felt his arms wrap around her shoulders as she leaned into his body. They slowly began to walk towards Jack's room.

**Continued….**


	13. Chapter 12 Continued

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Four Brother characters, just the ones I created.

**Continued from Chapter 12**

Bryant remained in her position on the couch when she heard the door open. It had been two days and Jack still hadn't opened his eyes. She really was beginning to lose all hope. She was beginning to lose all hope in everything. The day she thought her brothers were dead from Sweet was the day that Elijah and Skylar left for West Virginia. They didn't even say goodbye, they just left. She closed her eyes as she remembered Skylar's face in the chapel. She kept thinking about him a lot. Especially while waiting on Jack. The hospital had finally let her leave. She was back in normal clothes and every now and then she would get a headache. She lifted up from the chair when she saw that her brothers had arrived with food.

"You hungry?" Bobby asked.

"Not really." She sighed looking over at Jack's body.

"How's he doing?" Angel asked.

"Same." She replied. "Nothing's changed."

"Here you need to eat something. It will make you feel better." Angel brought some food over to her.

"I will feel better when my brother is awake and alive." She snapped not taking the food.

"I know how you are feeling right now, I want him to wake up too, but you have to eat. You hardly touched your food for the last two days."

"I don't care."

"Is this really all about Jack or it there more?" Bobby asked looking over at her. She turned away from him with a look of anger on her face. "Could it be that Elijah and Skylar left?"

She didn't answer him. She knew he was right.

"You going to answer me?" Bobby asked.

"Does it matter?" she asked not looking at him.

"Yeah it does." Bobby replied.

"Sweetie, they had to go back some time. They couldn't stay here forever." Angel knelt down in the front of her.

"I guess not." She turned away from him and began staring out the window.

"How's that head of yours?" Jerry asked sitting down next to her.

"It hurts sometimes, but then it goes away."

"You know, I know we haven't exactly been here for you. I know that you have been through some….stuff. Do you want to talk about it? You know you can talk to any of us about what's going on inside that beautiful little head of yours."

"I'm fine."

Bobby rolled his eyes and turned back to Jack. "Of course you are."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she snapped.

Nothing was said. "Why don't we talk about what is going on in your head then?" She snarled. "You want to discuss that?"

Angel sighed in front of her. "No wait, lets discuss what happened when you killed Sweet. You want to talk about that?"

"Bryant!" Jerry yelled.

Then there was silence.

"I need some air." She got up from the chair.

"Don't!" Bobby yelled.

"Why? Huh? You want to keep making me feel like crap? I don't want to do this with you anymore. Yes, ok. I am pissed off because they are gone. They weren't supposed to leave. Everyone seems like they want to leave me for some reason and it's not fair."

Bobby looked down at his hands. "I just want him to wake up, but I don't see that happening. So it will yet again be another person to leave me."

"B…" Angel got up from the floor.

"Don't, just leave it alone. I need to be alone right now." She told him holding her hand in the air. She turned away to leave.

* * *

Jack's hand began to move as he heard his sister speaking. He wanted to open his eyes so bad, but his brain wouldn't let him. She thought he was going to die; he had to open his eyes and tell her he was ok. He was fighting.

"I just want him to wake up, but I don't see that happening. So it will yet again be another person to leave me." Jack could hear her voice breaking.

"B…" he heard Angel say.

Angel. He was there. They were all there, he could feel it. He moved his hand again. Does anyone see him?

"Please!" he begged himself. "Just open your eyes."

He heard the door open… "Come on Jack!" he yelled. He eyes flew open. He was gripping the side of the bed.

"BOBBY!" Jerry yelled jumping up from the chair.

Bryant stopped at the door, but didn't turn around. She could feel tears forming in her eyes. Jack continued to stare wide-eyed at everyone. He gripped hold of the sheets to rid the pain he was in.

"JACK!" Bobby yelled.

Bryant gasped and held tightly to the door.

"Jack, you alright?" Angel was to his side.

Jack didn't say a word. Was she gone? Bryant didn't move from her spot at the door. Was it real or was it just a dream? She closed her eyes and opened them again.

"Br…" Jack couldn't talk.

"Jackie, don't talk." Bobby leaned down to him.

"Br…y" he wanted to say her name.

"Jack, you have a tube in your throat man, you can't speak."

"Bryant!" he choked out as his eyes turned to a look of pain.

Bryant shot around and looked at the bed. Bobby was blocking her view of Jack. Bobby looked over at her and nodded his head.

"Its ok." He whispered.

He moved away from the bed and she saw it. She saw her brother, her best friend staring at her. He was awake! He was alive! Tears began streaming down her face and she rushed over to him. "JACK!" she yelled. He reached up and grabbed her hand and squeezed. She began to sob as she brought his hand to her face. "Don't ever leave me again." She told him. "Please, I love you so much Jack. Please don't do it." She begged. Bobby's hand began rubbing her back.

"Welcome back." Jerry replied hitting his foot at the edge of the bed.

He tried to talk. "Jack, don't talk okay. Everything is going to be alright. You are going to be alright." Bryant smiled. "Everything's okay now."

"I'm going to go get someone." Jerry replied rushing to get to the door nearly knocking Angel over.

"Jack…" she whispered as she kissed his hand as tears streamed down her face.

"Shhh." She heard. She looked up and saw him half smiling but staring at her.

Suddenly a nurse and doctor came rushing into the room. Bobby pulled Bryant back causing her to let go of Jack's hand. She hesitated but Bobby held so tightly onto her shoulders, she couldn't move.

"Now Jack, I am going to remove the tube from your mouth now. It's going to hurt just a little bit but it will be quick. I need to you take a deep breath in and do no move until the tube is completely out. Ok, go ahead take a deep breath."

Bryant heard him take in a deep breath. She saw by the look on his face that it was painful. He began coughing as the tube, removed from his throat, came out. "Okay, let me check you out before you get excited." The doctor began looking down his throat, in his eyes, he looked at his stats on the screen. He rolled down his gown and looked at the bullet wounds in his shoulder and lower arm before rolling down the sheet more to look at the wounds on his legs. He kept his eyes on his sister the whole time. "Okay, you seem to be doing fine. You gave us a scare there for a little while. Welcome back. I will back with some medicine to give you. The nurse will also bring you some food if you like some."

Jack nodded his head. "Okay, I'll be right back."

"What happened?" Jack asked as he saw the door close. His voice was raspy. She could hardly hear him.

Everyone turned away from him. Bryant walked over to him and grabbed his hand again. "Jack…" she whispered.

"Bryant!" Bobby snarled.

"He deserves to know." She snapped looking at her older brother.

Bobby put his hands on top of his head and walked over to the window.

"Go on." Jack told her.

"I don't know exactly what happened, but Kade and Elijah were walking me back home from the hotel when I heard gunshots ring out. They sounded close so I ran to the house. You had gotten shot and they were still shooting. I tried to help you but they were going to shoot me too. So Kade threw me on the ground to protect me." The grip on his hand became tight around hers. "You were bleeding a lot but we couldn't get the ambulance to come any faster. Everyone was dying all around us, Bobby and Angel tried to protect you. They got everyone but it looked like it was too late, but you came back to us. We rushed you to the hospital and they kept telling us that you needed blood really bad. They had some flown in from Boston. Jack, we thought we were going to lose you because you weren't waking up and your stats weren't changing."

"Sweet?"

"He's gone." Bobby replied. "We took care of him."

"Everything is fine now." Bryant whispered.

"What's going to happen?" Jack asked.

"What do you mean?"

"With this?" he coughed. "Ya'll going to prison?"

"No." Angel replied.

"You need to be more excited to see us Jackie-poo." Bobby laughed slapping his foot at the bottom of the bed. "We got them. We got the bastards. You should be happy."

Jack turned away and closed his eyes. "Are you hurting?" Bryant asked.

"Just a little. It will past, just give it a sec." he replied squeezing his eyes shut.

Bryant looked over at Bobby who was preparing to go get the doctor.

"Jack…" Bryant let go of his hand. "Jack talk to me." She began to panic. "Go get help!" she yelled to Bobby who was already half way out the door. "Jack!" she yelled. His eyes had rolled into the back of head. "Please!" Angel came over to her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders and held her as the doctor came running in. "Save him!" she begged. Angel put his face in her head. "God…" she sobbed in his arms. Bobby came back in and grabbed her from Angel's arm and embraced her.

"I need a syringe now!" the doctor yelled. "Something is blocking his airway."

Bobby held tightly to his sister as he watched them stick the needle is his throat to open his airway. Bryant sobbed into Bobby's jacket as she held tightly, squeezing the back of his hood.

"Come on Jack, I need you to breathe for me." The doctor told him. "Breathe!" he yelled. It didn't seem like anything was helping.

"JACK!" she screamed. She tried to get over to him but Bobby held tightly onto her "Please…." She begged.

"This isn't working, I need some help. I need two ounces of morphine, I need…" Bryant looked over at Jack as she began screaming. Bobby wouldn't let her go as she fought to get to her brother. "Nooo!" she yelled. Doctors and nurse were coming into the room to see if they could help.

"We're losing him!" the doctor screamed.

"Get a room ready! We have to get him to the OR. Something is blocking his airway, we have to work together on this people. We have to save his life. Let's go!"

"JACK!!!" Bryant fell to the ground with Bobby still holding onto her.

* * *

Bryant was standing outside of her house as the cold wind began to blow. She looked over at Bobby who was beginning to saw wood. The boys were repairing the house. She looked over at Angel who was helping Jerry put in a window. She smiled as she wrapped her arms around her body.

"What you thinking about?" Bobby asked removing his gloves and walking over to her.

"What's going to happen?" she asked. "We can't go back to the way things were."

"You're right, but we can always start over."

"Start over?"

"Yeah, you know get a fresh start."

She turned away from him and walked over to the pole where Jack was shot. "What about him?"

"What _about_ him?"

"Hey you ready?" a voice came from the door way. Bryant quickly turned around and sniffed back the tears that were daring to escape from her eyes. She nodded her head as she put her arms around her body.

"Hey Jack, man you sure you want to do this?" Bobby asked. "It's cold as hell out here."

"The doctor said I need exercise." Jack replied with a smile on his face. "So what better way to exercise than to walk to the school to help my baby sister graduate."

"Right." Bryant replied walking over to him.

"You better just not drop me." Jack replied putting his arm around her shoulders.

"If you get cocky, I might have to." Bryant smiled.

He smiled back at her before rubbing her head. "We'll be back soon. You guys are doing a great job on the house. Keep up the good work."

"You better watch it fairy, you going to be working yourself." Bobby pointed his finger at him.

"Its cold, can we go?" Bryant asked.

Jack laughed as he hopped down the stairs onto the sidewalk. "We'll be back soon. I'm sure he can't walk too far." Bryant replied. They began walking slowly down the sidewalk towards the high school.

"You better be glad your school is close." Jack replied.

She smiled at him but didn't say anything. "Hey." Jack whispered. "What is it?" he asked when she didn't look at him.

"It's been two weeks Jack. I just can't believe we are finally at this point in our lives."

"What are you talking about?"

"I never thought we get to this point. The point where our lives were okay for a change."

"Everything_ is _okay now." He told her.

"Is it? Are you sure that something isn't right around the corner waiting to sneak up on us?"

"What could possibly happen? Sweet is dead. His goons are on our side now."

"I just feel like life is so fragile. I almost lost you once, I don't know if I can do it again."

"That is over with. Nothing is going to happen to me. You are watching me like a freakin hawk. How can anything happen to me?" he smiled.

She couldn't help but laugh. "Is this about Ma and Kade too?"

She nodded her head. "I just can't get over that I lost two very important people in my life in a blink of an eye. I think about them both all the time. Time has flown by since Ma's death and since the shooting."

"It has flown by."

"It should have for you. You were in the hospital for most of it."

Jack laughed. "You have to understand that you can't take what happened back. But look what happened. It brought our family back together. I heard Angel talking to Jerry just yesterday saying that he was going to stay for good this time. He wanted to watch you graduate. Bobby, well you know Bobby, nobody knows what's going on in that head of his."

"All we do is fight now."

"Well you two are about the same people."

"We are not."

"Yes you are. Don't argue."

Bryant laughed. "I heard you two arguing in the hospital. It was so sad to hear it but I know everyone was just aggravated because I wasn't awake yet. He is just looking out for you. He mostly blames himself for what happened. He almost lost both of us, you know."

She nodded her head. "Don't be sad anymore."

"I want Skylar to come back."

Jack closed his eyes and stopped. "You really like this boy don't you?"

She slowly nodded her head. "He was with me the whole time. He even came with me to check on you right after he found out his own brother was dead. Jack, he was with me through everything. I don't know if the guys told you this, but when Kade tackled me to the ground, I hit my head. I didn't tell anyone until it was too late. I was in the hospital as well. I had lost a lot of blood in my head and they had to keep me for two days. Skylar never left my side during that time. He was with me the whole time until the guys came back from killing Sweet. I turned around and they were gone."

"I know you don't want to hear it, but…"

"If you are about to tell me that I am too young to even know what love is then I don't want to hear it."

"Will you shut up?" he snapped. "I was saying that it might be for the best right now. You need some time with your family. You have like what three days until school starts again. Then you will be out for Christmas break. I want to spend time with you."

She smiled at him. "I love you Jack Mercer." She wrapped her arms around him.

"I don't think we are going to be making it to school at the pace we are going."

Bryant laughed. "You know I really didn't want to go anyway. I just wanted to get you out of the house and off your butt for a change."

"You want to go back."

"We can if you want."

"I am kind of hungry." He smiled.

"Lazy ass!" she replied turning around. "Come on lets go."

They began walking back towards the house. "Now that you've said it, you probably are too young to know what love is."

"Shut up!" she yelled with a smile. "Like you could ever know what it is either."

"Trust me I have plenty of girls who love me."

Bryant laughed. "I'm sure you do. You're Jack Mercer."

"Exactly my point! I'm glad someone understands."

"You are unbelievable."

Jack smiled before kissing the top of her head. "You know seriously, I'm glad you found someone this time that loves you for you. You deserve it. I just hope he doesn't break your heart, but I will definitely be breaking someone's neck."

She smiled at him. "I just want him to come back. We were in the chapel and he had promised to come and live here. I just don't understand why they left you know. They didn't say goodbye or anything. They just left."

"Have you talked to them?"

"I haven't wanted to. Elijah called a couple of times and Skylar as well. I am so pissed off at them, that I don't have anything to say. I just feel like I was abandoned you know, definitely during a time when I needed them most."

Jack turned away. "I just miss them, I feel like I am twelve again. I don't know, I just want this all to go away. Become something of the past you know."

"It will, I promise."

"I know."

Snow began falling as they stood on the sidewalk. "We better go before you sir get pneumonia."

He nodded his head. They walked back to the house in silence.

"You guys back so soon?" Jerry asked.

"Yeah, its snowing and we didn't get very far. Mr. Jack here is hungry and would like to sit on his ass some more." Bryant replied. Jack pushed her away from him. She laughed as she looked down at the ground. Her head shot up like something was telling her too.

"Bry!" she heard her name. She looked over at the house, all the boys were looking down the street. Tears filled her eyes as she took off running.

"Sky!" she yelled running to him. Skylar was already in a sprint, running towards her with arms open wide. She jumped in his arms as he embraced her.

"Oh, I've missed you!" he told her in her hair.

"I've missed you too!" she told him. "Why did you leave?" she asked as he put her down back on the ground.

"We had some unfinished business to take care of. We didn't want you to be away from your family anymore, so we just decided to leave."

"Without telling someone?"

"Yeah, we thought it would be ok."

"Was it ok?" Elijah asked coming up behind them. He had his hands in his pocket and grin on his face.

"No, it wasn't. We almost lost Jack. I needed you guys and you left, without saying goodbye. I thought I was twelve again being taken away from you, but this time you left."

"Bry…" Elijah started

"No, I really needed you more than anything and you left."

"Bryant, will you just listen." Elijah told her.

"We left to go bury Kade." Skylar told her. "We didn't want you to go through anymore. So we thought we would do that, pack our stuff, and head back here."

"What?" Bryant was dumbfounded.

"Oh, so you listen to him." Elijah replied throwing his arms in the air.

Bryant couldn't help but laugh as she wrapped her arms around Elijah and dug her head into his chest. "It's going to be ok." He whispered. "We're here now and we aren't going anywhere."

"Come on lets go inside. Its freezing and you can meet Jack." She replied with a smile grabbing Skylars hand. They began walking towards the house just as Camille and Sofi came out to get everyone to come eat. They walked up into the porch when Bryant noticed Bobby stayed outside.

"You coming?" she asked stopping at the door.

"Yeah." He replied with a smile. "You go on ahead, I will be in in a few."

She smiled back at him before nodding her head. She turned back around and saw Skylar waiting on her. He held out his hand with a smile on his face. She smiled before wrapping her arms around his and leaning up to kiss him. She looked outside once more when she saw a bright light disappearing outside and Bobby appearing in the doorway.

"You ok?" he asked.

"Yeah, I thought I just saw…." She laughed a little. "Yeah never mind."

He laughed her. "You are a strange girl."

"Yeah, well I have to be to be your little sister."

"I guess that's for damn sure." He wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

"So you staying this time?" she asked.

"Yeah….I think so." He smiled down at her.

"Good." She smiled.

He leaned down and kissed the top of her head as they walked inside the house with the rest of her family.

**Author: Sorry it took so long, I have had the hardest semester of my life. But I hope you guys enjoyed this story! Thank sto everyone who has stayed with it!! It means a lot! **

**PS If you haven't seen Twilight, you should definitely go do that! I absolutely loved that movie and the books are amazing!!**

**REVIEW!**


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